Quid Pro Quo Something for Something
by jaed621
Summary: Booth and Bones exchange dream interpretations, find their way BB pairing R and R watch for sexually explicit warnings.Finally COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**_This is my first posting, please read and review...thanks._**

**Quid pro quo** (Latin for "something for something", many times understood by English speakers as "what for what" or "tit for tat") is used to mean, in the English speaking world, a favour for a favour. The exchange in legal terms of something of value, usually information, for something of equal value.

She was standing in the desert, the heat beating down on her, her skin on fire. She wasn't sure how long she had been there or how she had arrived. Her throat was burning. She turned her attention to the horizon, it wobbled in waves of heat, dissipating into the blue sky. In the distance she noticed a movement, a small dark figure walking toward her and she squinted, blinking to try and force herself to focus. It made her eyes hurt, they felt gritty and ached with the urge to release tears. The figure drew closer at a pace that seemed impossible to her. The thought crossed her mind that it could be someone coming to hurt her and the realization struck that she didn't care, she was dying and the stranger would either offer rescue or an end to her suffering, either way she would no longer be baking alive. She tried to step forward and nothing happened. She was frozen in a way she could not comprehend. Confusion creased her brow. Every breath she drew was a burning sliver down to her lungs and she was coated with a fine layer of sand. She turned her attention back to the approaching figure unable to judge the distance between them. She couldn't make out any features but judging by the size and stride she concluded it was a man. In the next instant he was in front of her, inches away and before her mind could wrap itself around the image, he wrapped himself around her, leaning down and gently kissing her parched lips. In that instant everything stopped, everything. She was first aware that her lungs no longer burned and the heat had receded from her flesh as though the sun itself had been turned down. Her mouth was soft against his and she moaned softly into him but all too soon he pulled away. She opened her eyes and the desert was gone, she was cool and unharmed, she was standing in the grass under a tree in her parents back yard, looking deeply in to the twinkling brown eyes of Seely Booth.

"Seely…" she closed her eyes as he kissed her cheek, leaning into her.

Temperance opened her eyes and found herself looking into another mans face. She blinked and pushed him away, crying out as she did so.

"Temperance!"

It was David. She was on her own sofa in her condo. She sat up suddenly, shaking her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She had been sleeping, it was a dream. David was glaring at her.

"It was me Temperance, I kissed you and it was his name on your lips."

"David, I was dreaming…I…" She really didn't know what to say.

"No matter how highly our interests and intellects were matched on-line, I learned everything I need to know about you just now. Please don't fight this, I'm just going to go." He stood and moved away from her, gathering his coat and keys she watched him let himself out the front door. Temperance was still sitting on the couch in a bit of a daze, equally shocked by the dream and her lack of desire to stop David. She saw the cup of tea on the table but as much as she wanted some at that moment, she also wanted to make her own. She remembered now, David had been making her tea and she came to rest on the couch. She had been so tired that she must have fallen asleep while he was in the kitchen. She walked to her sink and poured out the tea, rinsing the cup and placing the water back on to boil. She felt suddenly relaxed and she stood at the counter waiting for the water and thinking about the dream. It was so vivid, she could recall each sensation in such detail that she reflexively raised her hand to touch her lips and felt the heat begin to stir between her legs. Had she moaned out loud as well as saying Seely? Poor David, she felt badly for him and yet respected that he wanted to leave with his dignity.

The kettle began to whistle and she automatically dropped in the bag and poured the steaming water over it. The heat triggered the vision of the dream again and Temperance allowed herself to think briefly of Booth. With every rational fiber of her being she wanted to believe it was just a dream, void of any real meaning or substance but the feeling of it wouldn't leave her. She shook her head at her own foolishness, of course she would dream of Booth rescuing her; he always did, didn't he? It was only logical that she would dream of him in this way. He had been on a case in Kentucky for the last two weeks and was not due back for at least another week. It was probably his absence that provoked her subconscious into conjuring him up in her dream. She was walking back toward the living room when a knock at the door made her jump. She didn't want to deal with David right now but if he wanted to talk it through, she would, she owed him that much. She would not, however, be able to continue to see him so she hoped this was about an explanation and not any type of reconciliation. She took a deep breath and opened the door, freezing in her tracks as she looked at Seely Booth.

"Hey Bones, how are you?" His grin spread up to his eyes. She just stood there, staring at him and after a moment when he realized she was not going to respond he spoke again.

"Bones, what's the matter?" His eyes squinted in concern as he looked at her more closely.

"Breathe" she whispered softly to herself.

"Booth, it's Booth. Wow, a guy is gone for a few short weeks and you already can't remember his name?" His gaze was intense.

"Booth, what are you doing here?" She seemed genuinely confused.

"I got done early so I came home. This is the part where you tell me how much you missed me and invite me inside. That's standard American issue manners." He kept his tone light but she seemed so disoriented it was starting to really concern him. He lowered his voice to a whisper, "Bones, come on, what's the matter?"

She opened the door all the way and waived her hand in a gesture of entrance.

"I was just expecting someone else."

He paused, he could think of nothing but getting here from the moment his current case had ended. He had just wanted to hear her voice, take in her scent and relish for a moment in the feeling of her close proximity. He had missed her so much it made him ache to think of her. It hadn't even occurred to him that she would not be available to him.

"I'll go, I didn't know you were expecting company." He turned to exit when he felt her hand on his arm.

"No, it's fine. I thought it was David."

"Really, I can go if you're expecting him." He was crushed and the last thing he wanted right now was to see them together, on top of missing her that would be more than he wanted to deal with at the moment.

"We broke up Booth, I just thought he was coming back for some sort of closure." She calmly turned and walked to the kitchen counter where she had left her tea. He turned to close the door and allowed himself a quick indulgent smile at the thought that David was out of the picture.

He studied her for a moment before he spoke again. "If you don't mind my asking, why don't you seem upset?" He held his breath.

"Let's just say we had one of those crystal clear moments that unequivocally define the end of a relationship. It was immediate and mutual, an epiphany of sorts." Her voice was clear and a little cold, but even as she said them she knew it was true. There was just nothing of substance between them as nice as David was, he sparked no real interest. She always had to concentrate when they were together to even listen to him.

"Did he do something to hurt you?" Booth's temper began to rise at the thought but her answer slowed him down.

"No, if you must know, there wasn't enough of an emotional investment there to result in it being painful. I'm just grateful it wasn't hostile or messy." She sighed deeply. "You never really answered my question, what are you doing here at this late hour?"

He ignored the question again, unable to tell her the truth.

"You know an epiphany is a pretty big deal. What happened in this 'crystal clear' moment?" He had followed her into the kitchen.

"I had a dream…" Temperance stopped, realizing that she was about to tell him what happened and suddenly aware that to relay the dream to him meant she would be telling Booth that she spoke his name while David kissed her. Her skin tingled and she turned to face him. "It doesn't matter and it's really rather personal. Do you want something to drink?"

"Whoa, hold on a minute there. Did you say you had a dream? The scientist has had a moment of clarity based on a dream? I'm not very scientific but I'm pretty sure that there is no fact based evidence in a dream. What's happened to you Bones?" He was teasing her, smiling that lazy smile that made her stomach flutter.

"Did you want something to drink or not?"

"I'll have a cup of tea if your water is still hot." He never took his eyes off of her, soaking in the site of her with every second. She was grateful to turn away from the weight of his gaze. She busied herself with making the tea while she spoke.

"It wasn't based on a dream, you're making assumptions."

"Then tell me about your dream." He was quiet, waiting. His instinct told him the dream was important in some way and that it meant something to her but he wasn't sure if even she knew what. "I'm pretty good with dream interpretation and we know how you hate psychology so let me help you with this."

She was gently shaking her head.

"I don't hate psychology. I just think it's amazing that supposed doctors draw conclusions from studying behavior when we know that for every person you find with a consistent response to any situation there is another person that can demonstrate an exception. There are no certainties in their conclusions. The control groups are rarely secure. It's a field full of contamination and interpretation, that's not science." She handed him his cup and headed to the living room where she sat at the end of the sofa.

"Bones, you are trying to play a shell game with your mumbo jumbo talk. Just tell me about the dream."

"I don't know what that means." She watched him seat himself next to her, stretching his long legs out in front of him.

"You're stalling. Let me help you with this life epiphany you have had this evening." He was grinning at her now, the charming irresistible grin that she found so disarming.

"I forgot how relentless and annoying you could be." She was smiling at him.

"I know you missed me, you don't have to say so, but it does hurt my feelings a bit that you would forget me in just two short weeks." He gave her his best sad face, but his eyes still held their amusement. She was chuckling now, lured by his playfulness into a feeling of good humor. He had an uncanny knack of being able to drive her crazy with frustration and make her laugh within moments of each other.

"I didn't literally forget you and you know that." She turned away from him, the color rising in her cheeks. In truth she thought of him often while he was gone and it made her chest tight whenever she did. She didn't know when she had become so accustom to his presence that his absence was a distraction, needling her throughout the day. The whole time he was gone she mentally moved between being annoyed at him for popping into her head and being startled by the feelings that having him in her head evoked.

"The dream Bones, the dream, you are really so skilled in avoidance. Why don't you want to share it? I mean if it's only a dream and therefore has no intrinsic power over your life, why would you not want to share it? You don't believe in the power of dreams, do you?" His head was cocked to the side and the tug of a smile still pulled at his mouth. He knew he was taunting her, challenging her beliefs but it was also one of the most effective ways to get her to respond.

"No Booth, dreams are just regurgitation from your sub conscience and their content is so mutilated and mutated that they contain no hidden messages. The images can cause certain feelings in reaction to them, but they are in no way predicators. Speaking of avoidance Booth, why are you here?" She watched his face and saw a flash across his eyes, a look she knew. Working with him all this time had taught her to read some of his silent communications. It was like a private language between them, an expression here, a touch there. Something had happened on the case, something he was holding inside him until he could manage it. She recognized in that instant that he wanted to talk to her about something but was not yet ready for the subject to come up. She felt badly about pushing him. He was staring at his hands in his lap now, swimming in his own thoughts when she broke the silence.

"Well, since you are here, I'll tell you what, you tell me about the last dream you had and what you think it means and _maybe_ I'll tell you about mine. Quid pro quo." She was smiling broadly at him now and he felt a tug in his chest as he looked at her, his features shifting away from the dark place they had gone.

"Bones, are you suggesting we play a game?" His look was stunned.

"I suppose it is a game, you must be rubbing off on me." She was chuckling again and the sound was like a warm breeze against him.

"I'll play, but there is no _maybe_ in quid pro quo. If I tell you mine, you have to tell me yours. It's an equal exchange of information."

She nodded her head but was already thinking about ending the dream short of the kiss when she told it to him.

"I have to think for a moment about what I last dreamt." He was stalling because there was no way he could tell Bones about his last dream. He couldn't even think about it himself without getting an erection. He pushed the thought of her naked body from his mind and squirmed a bit in his seat trying to suppress the tightness starting to form between his legs. He turns his mind instead to a recurring dream he has and quickly decides it's best to go with that instead. He focuses on the images he can recall. "It's a recurring dream in which I am outside a building, a white building and I have a terrible sense of urgency. I know I am supposed to get inside the building or something terrible is going to happen but I can not find an entrance. All sides are white cinderblock, there are no doors or windows and it is about 15 feet square. There are no other buildings around, I am in the middle of nowhere and yet I have a sense that I know this place. My anxiety grows, I can hear someone inside crying. I pick up a large rock and begin to hit the side of the building, trying to break through the wall. My fingers are getting crushed against the wall, my hand is bleeding but I can't stop. The wall doesn't even have a chip in the paint. I am crying by this time because the sound from inside the building has increased to a painful escalating wail. I think I have failed. I can hardly breathe. I press myself against the wall and am screaming NO when the wall gives and just crumbles in front of me. When I step into the room it's empty, there is a wooden chair in the center and everything is covered with blood. A cold feeling washes completely over me and I wake up. It's the same every time." His speech has slowed and when he stops he is surprised at how recalling the dream has brought it back to him so clearly and upset him so much. Until he heard himself actually recounting the dream out loud, he hadn't really thought about how gruesome it sounded. He looked up at her with that lopsided smile, "so what do you think it means?"

Her heart felt heavy listening to him. She wasn't sure what to tell him so she approached it with her usual analytical mind. "How long have you been having this dream?"

He had to think about it. What was going on the first time he had the dream. As Booth worked his mental timeline and really thought it out, his conclusion made him snap his head up to look at her. The expression was quickly shifted and he shot at her, "for a while but not too long."

"Booth, what kind of answer is that? That look you just had was an epiphany look if I have ever seen one. When did the dream start?" Her voice was gentle, soothing and before he could think again he just told her.

"Shortly after I met you." He was looking at her now and the intensity in his eyes made her mouth run dry and her heart pound loudly in her ears. Temperance didn't know what to say, she was torn between responding with the actual analysis and not commenting at all. She reached over and picked up his hand, she moved it onto her lap and held it between both of hers, pulling it against her. The simple gesture brought them both comfort. Neither one of them moved for a long time and then she broke the silence.

"Booth, that was a nightmare, not a dream but I am going to honor my part of the deal, Quid pro quo. I fell asleep on the couch while David was making me some tea. I had this dream that I was in the desert, being baked to death by the sun. I was standing but couldn't move and my throat was like razor blades down into my lungs. I remember being all gritty and covered with sand, just blistering in the heat. I am aware that I'm dying when I see someone coming across the sand toward me. I know it's a man and when he reaches me I see who it is but before I can say anything he kisses me. I close my eyes and moan against him, because it's a very erotic kiss. When I open my eyes we are in my parents back yard in the cool shade of a tree and I'm fine, I say his name out loud and he leans in to kiss me again. It was at this point that I woke up and David was calling my name." She pauses here and takes a very deep breath. Seely has been so still that she is unable to look directly at him. When she continues she is talking more quickly. "All David said was that with everything we had in common on-line he had just learned the only thing he needed to know about me because when he was kissing me, I said your name. That's when he left."

Booth felt like all the oxygen had been sucked from the room. His heart was slamming in his chest and he was so unsure that he had heard her correctly that he almost asked her to repeat herself. She was looking down, playing with his hand in her lap as though it was a toy she was holding. When she lifted her head there was a deep flush to her cheeks, her eyes were shining and a small smile crept across her lips. "What do you think it means?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

NOTICE: Although I have left this as a T rating this may tip a little toward M, if anyone is offended, I apologize, although it is just a kiss…an erotic one, but still just a kiss.

He removed his hand from her lap and drew his legs toward himself and for one horrifying second she thought he was going to get up but even as she thought it she felt his arm slip around her and his other hand gently cupped the side of her face. He was so close she could feel the heat pouring off him, the scent of him filling her, stirring her desire. He grazed his cheek against her face, noting her soft intake of breath as he whispered against her, "I think it means dreams _are_ predicators because I'm going to kiss you." He slid his tongue softly around the edge of her ear, capturing her lobe for a second between his lips and sucking lightly. She moaned, tilting her head toward him, her hand reaching out to his abdomen, fingers splayed she pressed it firmly up his body, over his shoulder and up into his hair. He drew back from her ear, looking into her eyes and was surprised by the blazing desire that was seething within them.

His lips were soft, tentative, just grazing and touching. She drew him against her, running just the tip of her tongue along his upper lip as he opened his mouth and pressed into her. He tasted her slowly, deepening and receding, sliding his tongue against hers, exploring her mouth. The feel of her set him on fire, his erection aching with the rapid growth, eliciting a groan from deep within his chest. He pulled her closer against him and felt her trembling as her arms tightened around him. She tilted her head slightly, deepening the kiss and pressing her breasts against his chest. She was vibrating with yearning, the hard throb between her legs causing her thighs to tighten. They separated slowly, simultaneously drawing in long pulls of oxygen, their bodies meeting in the heaving breath. He dipped his head to her neck, sucking in the flesh and nipping across the bone.

"Seeeely", his name hissed through her lips, a plea.

His hands were moving freely over her and her body moved into his touch. In the back of her mind a small voice kept saying _stop_ but she didn't want to listen. He felt too good and his touch felt so right.

He broke from her neck and looked into her eyes, she was smiling at him, the warmest smile he had ever seen grace her lips.

"Are you okay with this?" He wanted her to be sure, as sure as he was that this was how they were meant to be.

"Yes, I just don't want it to go too fast. I'm adjusting and after all, just a few hours ago I was dating someone else." As soon as the words left her lips she regretted it. She saw the dark flash across his eyes and then he was smiling again.

"Did you just imply that we're dating?" The smile spread to a beaming grin.

"We haven't even left my sofa, I think calling it dating is a stretch."

"Well, does it mean we're going to date?" His voice was hopeful but his confidence was wavering a little. She had to smile a little, he was so disarming, especially now when he was unaware of himself.

"If we're dating, does that mean there will be more kissing?" She was blushing even as she said it. The twinkle returned to his eyes.

"There will definitely be more kissing." He leaned over, giving her the gentlest kiss, just brushing her lips and even this barely there contact sent a shock through her system.

"Well then I guess we will officially start dating." Her voice had a slight tremor.

"It's after one now so how about tonight at 8pm, I'll pick you up here."

"Booth, what about the not moving too fast part?"

"Well, since we have already been kissing, I figure we're a date behind. I'm just trying to catch us up."

She started laughing; it was everything, the dreams, David's face when he woke her, the kiss and Booth's crazy logic. For the first time in a long time she simply felt good. She shift and curled against him, her head tucked against his shoulder. She knew she should kick him out, go to bed and get some sleep, she was exhausted, but he felt so good that she thought she would sit with him for just a few more minutes. His arm tightened around her and she felt him kiss the top of her head. In turn she squeezed him around the waist where her arm was securely tucked. His hand began stroking her hair and while thinking about how comforting it felt, Temperance Brennan fell soundly asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

He was tired but dared not close his eyes for fear this time with her would vanish. She was sleeping against him and he wanted to sit for as long as he could stay awake and just relish the weight and imprint of her against him. Stirring, her hand moved up his chest, stopping near her face. He studied it now, allowing himself the luxury of staring. He was fascinated by her hands, he had watched them for hours dance over bones in the lab, gently lifting a specimen in her slender fingers, always laying it carefully back into it's place. Her head would be down, her brow creased in concentration and her body still, but her hands were always animated when she worked. He admired her focus, the intensity in her concentration, the way in which every action and movement was only for this task. When she was working nothing in the world existed beyond the bones in front of her. He had been watching her in that very mode not long after they met when Angela had come up next to him and said, "if she has that much intensity over a pile of bones imagine what it would do to your world to have that focus turned on you." At just that moment Bones had lifted her head and those piercing blue eyes had captured his stare. It was the first time he had to leave the Jeffersonian and drive around because he had an erection and the first time he realized the sparks between them were becoming something more. Ever since that day when he watched her hands he wondered what it would be like to have them moving over his body, to feel her touch against his skin and to be at the mercy of her undivided attention.

He lightly traced a line down her slender fingers fighting the urge to bring her hand to his lips, to kiss the palm and run his tongue along the lines there, to kiss her fingertips and gently take one into his mouth. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to ease his state of arousal back into submission. He then wondered when she had known she was attracted to him and what had brought her to this recent decision that it would be a good thing for them to try dating. He knew it wasn't just a matter of the dream; she was far more complicated than that. He would have to remember to ask her about all this, perhaps on their date. He is going on a date with Bones; he kissed her and was now sitting with her asleep in his arms. He could not stop grinning, not for the life of him.

He knew he should wake her but once she was awake there would be no reason for him to stay and she would inevitably send him home. He gently kissed the top of her head, he wasn't ready to leave her yet and probably wouldn't be any time soon so he leaned back his head and closed his eyes, letting the sleep take him.

She blinked and froze. It took her a moment to get her bearings, she was so tired. The moment a case was over it seemed like all the sleep she had missed while working it came back to claim her at once. She was curled against Booth but she had no idea how long she had been there, fifteen minutes, three hours and fifteen minutes? Her legs ached with the need to stretch but she didn't want to wake him. She breathed in the scent of him, her mind trying to place and categorize but unable to move beyond the thought that it just smelled like him. She smoothed her hand lightly over his chest pausing to feel his heart beat, amazed at how just the scent of him could nudge her desire awake. She knew she needed to get up so she slowly eased herself out of his embrace, pausing to look at him again; she bent down and gently kissed his cheek. She attributed the poor impulse control to fatigue. She had to stand for a moment to let the circulation return to her legs; as she began to move the needle sharp sensation spread. She turned off the light which at this late hour just felt offensive to her and went to retrieve a pillow and blanket for Booth. When she returned she placed the pillow at the end of the sofa and removed the cushions off the back so he would have plenty of room. She slid her hand around his neck and eased him into a lying position, gently removing his shoes and covering him, at least his neck wouldn't be sore. She paused, looking down at him in the dim light, even in sleep the solid strength of him was apparent and her hand flexed at her side with an urge to touch him. The contained chemistry between them was powerful, compelling and lately she had been thinking far too often about how it would feel to release it.

In her bedroom she drew a white tank top from a stack in the drawer. She normally wasn't self indulgent but the shirts were incredibly soft Egyptian cotton, cool, comfortable with no extra material to tangle around her when she slept. They were appallingly expensive but she rationalized the purchase by telling herself that no price could be put on peaceful sleep, especially for her, who knew so little. She cleaned up and slid between her sheets, reveling in how wonderful it felt to be in bed when her whole body was aching with exhaustion. She closed her eyes, mentally calming her thoughts, trying to clear her mind but his image kept slipping to the surface. She fell asleep with a small smile curled on her lips.

He opened his eyes, she was gone. He should have stayed awake, he had known in a part of his conscience that she had lain him down but the movement had been one of comfort so his mind did not send a warning to wake him fully. He wondered what he should do now, it was early, just before six and he didn't want to wake her but it didn't feel right just sneaking off either. Of course there was also the possibility of staying but would it be awkward in the morning or one of those special times between them? He was torn; part of him would always opt to stay just to have more time with her and well after thinking about it that was the only part that mattered. At the moment he was uncomfortable, his shirt and pant legs had twisted around him in his sleep and he needed to use the bathroom. Wanting to clean up, he slipped out to his car and grabbed his bag, grateful now that he had come directly here last night and not dropped it off at home. He moved down the hallway, about to turn into the bathroom when he looked up and stopped in his tracks. Her door was open and there she was, lying at a slight angle in a white tank top and satiny pale blue underwear, one leg exposed where she had kicked off the covers in the night. He couldn't keep walking, could not force his feet to move. Her hair spread on her pillow, an errant strand curled around her throat, the end almost pointing to the swell of her breasts, the feint outline of her nipples against the thin material. The hint of her navel, the curve of her hip, the dip of her stomach, the edge of her underwear, the creamy thigh curving to her center…he was hard. He had to walk away, if she opened her eyes at this moment he didn't know what he would do except tell her he could not have stopped looking, he was after all a man and she was a woman, a very sexy, desirable, hot woman. She was so much more than he had imagined, but that was something internal, she had an internal side that was smoldering and had caught him completely off guard. He turned into the bathroom, the image of her burned behind his eyes, his penis at full attention now. He stepped into the shower, letting the water beat on the tension in his shoulders for a moment before turning the knob to cold to drive the desire from his body.

He moved quickly and quietly through his routine, pausing to look at the products she used, lifting one now and then to take in its scent. He pulled on an old pair of jeans and a white t-shirt, down to only a few clean choices after his trip. He stepped back into the hall and walked quickly to the kitchen, not allowing himself even a glance at her. He could not walk around all day with an erection, not only would it become painful, but eventually he would just sound stupid from the lack of blood flow to his brain. He chuckled softly, half amused and half mortified by the vision of him with a persistent erection trying to have a serious coherent conversation with Bones. He took his bag back out to the car, not wanting to look like he was making assumptions and went back into the living room. It was still so early and now that he was clean and comfortable again he was getting drowsy. He stretched back out on the sofa and laced his fingers behind his head, closing his eyes he wanted to think of anything but Bones lying in that bed. He turned his thoughts to the day ahead, he would make breakfast and then, if she was willing he would plan their day. He was hoping he could convince her to just spend time with him, in some aspects he knew her so well and in others she was a complete mystery to him. He also knew they needed to talk through some things before this went any further, just to make sure they were on the same page. He was still making plans when he fell back to sleep.

Temperance opened her eyes and stretched languidly in her bed, grateful for once it was Saturday. She heard sounds, remembering that Booth was in the other room just as the most wonderful scent alerted her attention to the fact he must be cooking. She was just coming out of the bathroom when her stomach growled and she decided it was time to go investigate, she mindlessly pulled on a pair of sweat pants and headed down the hall. When she reached the kitchen Booth had his back to her, he was approaching the fridge when he stopped, drawing an invisible gun he pretended to shoot it before cautiously reaching for the handle. He turned suddenly, sensing her presence and froze. She was grinning ear to ear, laughter beginning to erupt from her lips.

"Did you kill it Booth?" She loved when he was in a playful mood, uninhibited and relaxed, he had a natural ability to just enjoy life. He was blushing at having been caught by her but recovered quickly.

"Since it has already demonstrated the ability to be violent I'm just being cautious." He was holding a container of orange juice and had that boyish smile on his face, her stomach lurched. Then she noticed the clothes, he had showered and his hair was disheveled, there was a dishtowel over his shoulder, he was in a fitted white t-shirt and faded jeans, barefoot. He looked so, so sexy, her thighs were turning warm just looking at him. She moved her gaze back up his body and he was staring at her, eyebrow raised in question. She blushed deeply.

"When did you go home and change?" She had looked away from him and saw the counter set for two, the food on the stove. "And when did you do all this?"

He set down the orange juice and quickly turned to the stove, he opened the oven, pulling out two pans and placing them on the top. He gestured for her to sit down as he came to fill the coffee cups.

"I had clothes in the car and the rest was how I amused myself while you slept." He leaned down and kissed her forehead, "good morning." She was stunned by the simple act, which in the domestic setting felt somehow intimate. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. He took the plates to the stove and served breakfast; sitting next to her he watched as she took her fork and began to examine what was on her plate. "It's not a specimen Bones, just try it."

She smiled at him and cut a bite, placing it in her mouth and seconds later moaning softly.

"Booth this is amazing, I can't believe you made this." He wasn't looking at her, couldn't look at her. He knew she loved good food and in fact had heard her moan when eating noodles at Wong Fu's but in the silence of the kitchen it was as though she had stroked him with that one sound. He had already been fighting not to look at her in the tank top, not to notice her smooth skin or the rise of her breasts above the white shirt. He began to eat, distracting himself and avoiding her intense gaze.

"Don't sound so surprised, I love to cook." He voice was thick, he kept eating.

"Are you okay?" She couldn't place what was wrong with him.

"I'm fine, try the muffin, it's cinnamon orange." He flashed her a smile and went back to his plate. Watching out of the corner of his eye as her fingers tore off a piece of her muffin and put it in her mouth. She moaned again, shaking her head.

"You bake too, why didn't I know this about you? These are so good." She tore off another bite and popped it past her lips. He had to snap out of it, he started talking.

"I don't do the baking part that often but I know how. In college I worked part time at a restaurant, I would go in at five in the morning before classes and we would get food ready for the day. We made bread and muffins, huge pots of soup, pounds of prime rib marinating in the slow cooker, trays of spinach pie and baklava. There were all these scents in the air and the sound of metal and glass as we mixed and stirred, it was so peaceful and the bonus was that I learned to cook. Ever since then I have enjoyed getting up early and cooking, it relaxes me." When he looked over at her she was watching him intently, he didn't often give her glimpses into his past.

"It sounds like that was a good time in your life. Personally I don't cook very well. I understand the dynamics of it and it has a certain scientific element but somewhere between the recipe and the final product something usually goes wrong."

He started to chuckle at the image of Dr. Temperance Brennan scowling over a recipe book.

"I doubt that there is a task that, if you put your brilliant mind to it, you could not master. Being really good at something comes from your passion for it, many people can have the same level of skill at something but in the end it's the one with the true passion for it that stands out."

"Well that must explain it then because my only real passion for food comes from it's consumption and not it's preparation. If this is just a sample of your ability you can cook for me anytime." Even as she spoke the words she was aware of their implication and her cheeks colored slightly. She attacked her plate with renewed enthusiasm, looking anywhere but directly at him, knowing, without a glance, that he was smiling at her.

They were finishing up when he turned his attention back to her.

"Why don't you take your coffee in the other room and I'll clean up and join you."

"No, you don't have to do that, let me clean up, it's the least I can do after you did all this. By the way…" She rose from her seat and came to stand in front of him; placing her hand on his arm she turned him toward her. She slid her arms around his neck and place a gentle kiss on his lips. "Thank you, for all of this." She was slipping away from him, turning, when he grabbed her wrist and spun her back into him. He lips closing over hers before she could catch her breath. In an instant she was on fire, the ache between her legs suddenly blooming with heat. He touched his tongue to her lips and she opened her mouth, tilting her head and leaning into him, following the urge to be closer. Her hands were moving, one at his neck and the other caressing down the muscles of his back. She felt his hand move under her shirt and press against the small of her back, the other was cradling her head. He broke for air and they froze, mutually shocked by the power of their arousal, they stood captured by the desire, both deciding…


	4. Chapter 4

His lips were closing over hers before she could catch her breath. In an instant she was on fire, the ache between her legs suddenly blooming with heat. He touched his tongue to her lips and she opened her mouth, tilting her head and leaning into him, following the urge to be closer. Her hands were moving, one at his neck and the other caressing down the muscles of his back. She felt his hand move under her shirt and press against the small of her back, the other was cradling her head. He broke for air and they froze, mutually shocked by the power of their arousal, they stood captured by the desire, both deciding…

"You're very welcome. I'd have been cooking for you a long time ago if I had known that was how you would show your appreciation." He was grinning at her now, shifting gears and allowing her to take a second. He wanted to continue, to pick her up and carry her down the hall to her bed. The impulses in his brain were firing at an alarming rate; to kiss her, to taste her neck, to lick the swell of breast rising before him, to peel off her clothes and explore every inch of her with all of his senses. Images of her bombarded him, burning through his thoughts like white fuses, all of them leading to one place, one thought, he wanted to be inside her. His testicles ached and he shifted slightly with the discomfort. He needed to talk to her, to hear her say she was sure because he wanted all of her, not just this and as hard as it was to admit, he wouldn't risk everything they already were to each other unless she was willing to do it too. The conversation couldn't wait until tonight.

"Let's go sit down, the dishes can wait, I need to talk to you." His voice was rough as though each word were run across sandpaper as he said them and so he sounded both familiar and foreign to her at the same time. Seeing her look of confusion he gently kissed her cheek for reassurance and took her hand. She nodded slightly and let him lead her to the sofa where she sat while he retrieved their coffee and then joined her.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

She wanted him and at that moment as they stood there an urge stronger than anything she had ever known rose inside her. She wanted to lean up and bite into the thick cord running along his neck, sucking the flesh into her mouth to taste at last that piece of him that haunted her. She felt a swell of moisture between her legs and she tightened her thighs. She was frozen, afraid if she even blinked it would trigger her entire system to let go. He was staring at her for the longest time, his eyes dark pools of lust into which she wanted desperately to disappear. She knew he had spoken to her and in actuality some part of her heard him and so made the effort to smile. She had decided she had wanted this, but was unprepared for how ferocious her desire had grown during all those months of suppression. She heard him speak again and watched his mouth intently, trying to focus beyond the rough edges of the words as they came to her. He wanted to talk to her and she knew that they needed to talk even though she couldn't imagine being able to find or form words.

He kissed her cheek and she nodded her head, letting him take her to the living room. She smiled slightly; realizing that he could have, at that moment, led her anywhere and she would have simply taken his hand and gone with him willingly. Lust and trust are a dangerous combination. He left her and the room suddenly seemed too bright as though the impending conversation was something that should be had at night, something too vulnerable and delicate to be held up under the blazing morning sun without danger of damage. He was back with their coffee and sitting beside her. She stood up suddenly and went to the windows, closing both the blinds and the curtains on all of them until the room was quite dim. She looked around slowly, appearing to measure the atmosphere before returning to her seat. She couldn't voice an explanation for her actions so she just smiled at his inquiring glance. With all the knowledge she carried in her head everyday, it was at this moment that her brain felt too full, the irony did not escape her. She sat back down and drew a deep breath, a little surprised by the sound of her own voice when she spoke.

"Okay Booth, it's your conversation so we can start whenever you're ready."

"I just want to make sure that we understand one another before we go any further. I don't want to wake up and find out I've lost my partner and our friendship…" it was harder than he thought it would be with her looking at him so intently. "It's just that I know I'm sure and have been for a long time but I'm not really sure where you are with everything. I think if this is going to work we have to both be equal and open and willing to take the risk together. This sounded much better when I went over it in my head." He offered her a small smile and noted that she was looking rather amused.

"You're nervous." She stated it in that simple way she had of just laying the truth at your feet. She was touched that he was nervous, he was always so confident when they were working that it was a pleasant surprise.

"Well, yes." He kept watching her. "I think we should be able to talk, even if the conversation is difficult, and sometimes Bones when you look at me I feel like I'm caught under your microscope." She quickly looked away and he realized she didn't understand. "Wait, look at me." He stopped until her gaze returned to his, "it's not a bad thing. Since the first time you really looked at me I was, well disarmed by it. You have the most beautiful eyes…" She was blushing but kept looking at him. "Back to my question, what happened that brought you to this decision?"

She was sorting through her thoughts but kept getting tripped up by the fact he said she had beautiful eyes and really meant it. Her heart kept fluttering, she wanted to just be open with him but it was not easy for her even though she wanted to, finding a beginning was daunting. She sighed heavily.

"It's not a criminal interrogation Bones, it's just us, just the two of us." He was grinning broadly, he could actually see her mind working.

"It wasn't any one thing you did, I knew when you came to Arizona and to New Orleans that you were somehow more than my partner but I wasn't ready to deal with that yet so I buried it and kept working. All the things you did for me, they didn't escape my attention. I thought I could keep you at a safe distance, actually I became quite efficient at it for a while. Then my refrigerator exploded and for those few moments I thought I had lost you." She was toying with her fingers and he couldn't help himself, he reached over and gently took one of her hands into his. "It hurt, the thought that you might suddenly just be gone from my life, but it was the pain that made me realize the truth. It didn't matter that I hadn't gone out with you, it didn't matter that we had never kissed, none of the things I had so carefully avoided between us mattered because even without them I still felt all this pain at the thought of losing you. I hadn't protected myself from anything. I thought about my parents and asked myself one question, if I could take away the pain of losing them but had to trade every happy memory to do so, would I?" She paused, taking a deep unsteady breath. "The answer was simple, no. That told me I was willing to take a risk, to have happy memories again even though I could end up getting hurt. So, I dated David to test my theory, sort of a control group of one, when there were no sparks despite all the things we had in common I knew that I had to give us a chance. In the end it was all pretty logical. So my dream didn't really surprise me." She had gone into science mode at some point and was chatting away, explaining her experience, theory and conclusion as though it was a case.

"Ah yes, the dream, you mean the one where you were baking in the desert and when I kissed you we ended up in the plush backyard of the only place you remember calling home. You mean that dream?" He was smiling softly. He was surprised at how much she had revealed to him, not only in the story itself but in the trust that came with it's telling.

"That's the only dream I've told you about." She was still in science mode, looking at him with genuine confusion.

"I was making a point Bones." She was going to say she didn't understand when he kissed her, a tentative kiss, his lips brushing lightly across hers and then dipping against her for a taste. She hesitated for just a second before leaning into him, drawing him back against her, touching her tongue to his lips and moving deeper when he opened them to her. Her tongue moved through his mouth slowly, languidly exploring. The fire between them crackled back to life, threatening to consume him when she moved away from him. "_That_ was my point, where does that feeling factor into your equation?"

She was blushing and shaking her head gently. "That was the x factor, something that I couldn't have predetermined. I won't deny that there is a certain chemistry between us that I have been aware of for a long time but good friends are rare and like you I wasn't sure we should risk the friendship and then what would happen to our work relationship if it didn't work out? It still makes me nervous and I still want to take this slowly."

"When Bones, when did you first realize you were attracted to me, when did you first feel that chemistry?" He wasn't even sure why he wanted to know but he was compelled to ask.

"Why do you want to know that?" She had a mischievous smile.

"I want to know more about you, there are many things I want to know, this one just feels like it gives us a beginning." He had a look, as though he was asking her for something of great value to him. Temperance had to think back, back to the beginning, she already knew the answer but she sat for a moment remembering the day.

"Cleo Eller, we were arguing over whether or not to confront Senator Bethlehem. You didn't think we had enough evidence and there were still other suspects you wanted to talk to first. I was sure it was him and I just wanted to question him. That day, when we were fighting I remember feeling it, physically." She felt somehow exposed relaying the story to him. She was aware of him holding her hand, gently tracing her fingers as she spoke, it made the hair on her arms stand up.

He could tell she was uncomfortable, even if she wanted this it had been foolish of him to think that motivation alone could change years of behavior. Their first case, during their first fight, he was grinning from ear to ear. He couldn't help himself; she had felt it from the very beginning.

"Hey, what's your favorite flavor of ice cream?" She looked at him, confused. "I said there were many things I wanted to know about you, so I'm just asking some investigative questions."

His voice had become playful, teasing and it took her a moment to catch up to his shift in gears. He was trying to lighten up the conversation; she felt the relief wash over her, grateful for the break. He had such a good sense of her mood, he always knew when she was nervous, afraid or confused, sometimes before she realized it herself. It was both maddening and comforting.

"Mint chocolate chip, it always made me feel better. What's yours?"

"Moose tracks, you just can't beat chocolate and peanut butter cups in ice cream. What was your favorite pastime as a child?" he spoke quickly, picking up the pace.

Without missing a beat she answered, "reading, I was an insatiable reader. What was yours?"

"I can picture you, a young Bones, curled up with a book on the back porch, enjoying the heat of the summer. I was active so I liked anything that was outside, tag, war games and football but my favorite pastime was building models with my dad. We did airplanes, ships, cars, it didn't matter, the more intricate the better. During those times it was just the two of us and he would talk to me, tell me stories from his own childhood and just talk. It was my time with him and it always made me feel special somehow."

She could see him too, a young Booth, looking up at his father, his dark eyes filled with the type of admiration only a child can maintain, listening intently. The image made her smile. "What's your favorite color?" She could play this game, there were things she would like to know about him but had never asked.

He paused, "for a long time it was a dark blue, the color of my first car, but that's not it any more. Now there is only one color I am attracted to, the blue of your eyes, I can't imagine ever getting tired of looking into them, even when you're fighting with me." He was looking at her, completely serious in his answer.

"Booth I had no idea you were such a romantic, that inside that tough FBI alpha male exterior you were such a softy." She was taken aback by his admission, she had seen a gentleness in him on more than one occasion but hadn't expected him to have such a sensitive side.

"Bones, men can be romantic and even sensitive but most don't like being referred to as soft." He was chuckling as he spoke.

It took her a moment to catch on but he watched her face dawn in realization and then blush deeply. "Well I don't really have a point of reference to debate whether the term applies to you or not, at least not yet." There was a twinkle in her eye as she spoke to him and he felt his body stirring again, the need in him coiled and waiting.

"We could resolve this right now if you would like to but I thought you wanted to take things slowly." He had a wicked grin and had leaned a little closer to her, now running his touch up the soft side of her arm sending a tingling sensation racing through her. He moved his other hand to her neck, tracing a line down her throat, over her breast bone and into her cleavage where he stopped at the edge of her shirt.

His touch was leaving a trail of sparks against her skin, she drew in her breath and suppressed a moan, feeling her breasts tighten as his finger stopped between them. His favorite color is the color of her eyes, how do you keep from falling in love with a man like this? At the thought that she could fall in love with him, she hesitated, that was not something she was ready to fully admit to yet. "Aren't we supposed to be planning what we are going to do the rest of the day, where we are going to go on our first official date?" Deciding two could play at this dangerous game, she reached over while she was speaking and placed a hand on his chest, smoothing it across the muscles under his thin t-shirt she scissored her fingers closed over his nipple, tugging it gently as her hand moved down across his abdomen. She traced the waistband of his jeans before fluttering her fingers over his erection, hearing his gasp she then rested her hand gently on his thigh. When she looked up there was nothing but desire etched on his face.

"Temperance, if you continue to touch me like that there will be no going slow and our first date will begin and end right here on this sofa." His voice was low, weighted with lust and tight with restraint.

The sound of her first name from him felt like a caress and the images implied in his statement caused a liquid warmth to spread across her chest. She was enjoying the immediate effect her touch had on him, excited by the obvious evidence that their arousal was mutual. She was tempted to keep touching him, to watch his body respond to hers, it felt oddly powerful and she enjoyed that aspect of it. She smiled, "okay let's talk about our plans for the day." She placed her hand safely back into his and gave it a squeeze. Normally on a Saturday there was a long list of things she wished she had time to do; research for her book, writing, cataloging at the Jeffersonian, shopping at the local bookstore, rearranging or cleaning part of her condo, a long workout and a hot bath were just the beginning of the usual list but at the moment there was nothing she wanted to do more than touch him. The realization startled her, sending a small quake of panic to her brain. She should suggest something; get them out into the public so temptation would be set aside for a while. "Why don't we pack a nice picnic lunch and go to the park, then we can continue playing this question game and keep getting to know each other."

"That's a great idea, I even know of a great place to go, pack your swimsuit, there's a spot to cool off if we decide to and some hiking trails if we get restless, by the time we pack up and drive out it'll be lunch time. Bones do you own a cooler?" He was getting excited, that youthful enthusiasm that she loved so much came bubbling to the surface.

"Yes, actually I do so let's head to the kitchen and see what we can pull together, although judging from breakfast I have a feeling you are much better at that than I." She got up from the sofa, reluctant to move away from him but looking forward to spending the day together, not working, on a date.

He rose and followed her to the kitchen, smiling and rubbing his hands together, a date with Bones, he had waited so long for this day to come he could hardly believe it was here. Now, to get ready.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: They are not mine, legal blah, blah, blah.

Okay, this is a longer chapter and I am still writing but I wanted to get this out there, according to the stats there are quite a few number of people out there reading it, please review so I know what you think…it is SO motivating to get reviews. Thanks.

Chapter 5

Temperance was clearing the breakfast dishes as Booth filled the sink and began to wash, after wiping the counters she stood next to him and began to dry. She liked doing dishes, the warmth was soothing and it was a task she remembered her mother doing, she had always been singing or humming, the houses had changed but the kitchens were always small, simple and void of luxuries. Looking back Temperance was never sure if her mother's musical musings were to distract her from the situation or if she genuinely enjoyed what she was doing. In her own mind she liked to believe her mother was happy.

Temperance paused, she had dried her last dish and Booth was working on one of the pans. She was watching him turn it back and forth under the steaming water when he began to hum. At first she thought she was having some kind of auditory hallucination tied to her memory but as she focused it became obvious to her, he was definitely humming. She was overcome with a sudden sense of loss and not wanting to face him she set down the towel and moved behind him, sliding her arms around his waist she hugged him, placing her cheek against his back. She could feel the vibration through him and then his hand, gently squeezing hers, still hot and wet from the water.

Booth felt her move behind him and instinct told him not to move, the hug was not sexual. She had been quiet for the last few minutes and he could feel her mood shift. When she set down the towel he thought at first that she was leaving the kitchen. He was surprised by her arms coming around him, when she pressed her face to his back he continued to hum, trying to let her take from him whatever it was she needed. He stood there, squeezing her hand to let her know he was aware something was wrong. Then he finished washing the pans and set them on the towel to dry. He turned off the water and stopped humming to let her know he was finished and then turned slowly around.

"Hey, are you okay?" He hugged her to him and she snuggled against him for a moment feeling a sense of contentment now.

"I'm fine. What are we going to pack for lunch?" Whatever was bothering her had passed.

"Well assuming you like all the food in your house I think you can go get ready and I'll whip up something. It won't be elaborate but it will be edible." There was that grin that she could not resist. She nodded in response and went to get herself ready. Once in her room she moved without rushing, giving Booth time to get things ready. She washed up and pulled on a pair of khaki shorts and a black tank top with simple black sandals. She paused only a moment over which bathing suit to take, choosing the skimpier of the two. She threw in a couple of towels, her sneakers, some socks in case they went hiking and a sweatshirt and jeans for later. Moving to the bathroom she tossed in some first aid supplies, her toothbrush, hand wipes and sunscreen. Just as she was about to leave she had an idea and went to her closet, after struggling to get a box off the top shelf she slid several other items into the bag, smiling as she did so. She was a little nervous, spending the day with him without a current case to occupy them and on a personal level. She decided she should start to think of questions to ask him. It was funny, all the nights she had wondered about different parts of his life and now she had to concentrate to come up with questions for him. She wondered what was wrong with her brain. She came quietly down the hall, setting her bag down gently and just watching him move about her kitchen. He was bent over the counter deep in concentration, rapidly filling containers.

"Where's that cooler Bones?" He spoke without turning around and she jumped at the sound of his voice.

"How do you always know when I'm here?"

"Well I'm trained to listen, to sense a persons presence and there is a certain amount of gut instinct involved." He was chuckling because he knew how she felt about him following his gut, it was the counter opposite to any scientific method and it drove her crazy.

"Not this whole idea that your gut tells you things again." She was walking toward him and she turned him around, he was laughing. She smiled softly and then gently pulled his t-shirt from the waist of his pants.

"Bones, what are you doing?" He had stopped laughing and actually stopped moving, he couldn't take his eyes off those amazing hands as they reached for him.

She ran her fingertips gently over the smooth muscles of his abdomen, tracing the soft trail of hair that disappeared at the worn edge of his jeans. He sucked in his breath and the definition in his muscles leapt before her eyes. She leaned down and pressed her ear gently against his bare torso, turning slightly so that the edge of her lips just grazed his skin and her breath moved hotly across his flesh. His penis began to rise, only inches away and he couldn't take a deep breath.

"Booth, I'm just listening to this gut of yours to see what is has to say, apparently it's very knowledgeable." She was enjoying this, not just getting even by making him uncomfortable but there was that sense of control again. She was once again surprised by her own body's reaction, her breasts were tightening and her belly grew soft and warm. She smiled against him.

He felt her lips against him and knew she was smiling. He took her shoulders and brought her to a standing position.

"Temperance Brennan that was really playing dirty. I can't decide whether I am more shocked or impressed but you should be careful, that's a dangerous game." He was smiling but his eyes were dark.

"You started this teasing game; I just took you for your word and wanted to hear this gut talk." She looked at him innocently, struggling to hold back a grin. She felt his hands begin to slide down her arms and she ducked down and back, out of his reach. "Don't we have to get the cooler packed and get going? We still have to run by your place." Her heart pounding, she jogged to the closet and began pulling out the cooler. Booth shook his head and went back to sealing containers; he would have to find a way to settle that score later.

He insisted on packing the cooler so she packed the dry goods into a bag and they were ready to go.

On the ride to Booth's apartment they relaxed a bit, playing with the radio station and discussing their likes and dislikes in music. He was amazed at how much overlap they had in their taste. He had done this before, distracted her with conversation about music while they were in the car. There had been plenty of trips during which her close proximity had been overwhelming for him so he would shift to conversation about a case or what was on the radio to keep his mind off of her. It was working now, at least as long as he kept his eyes on the road and not her legs in those shorts.

When they arrived at the apartment, Booth came around the car but Brennan was already stepping out, so he shut the door and took her hand. It seemed so natural to him, to be holding her hand in his and yet he was aware of her cool fingers laced between his, the same fingers he had been secretly watching all these months. He released his grip to open the door and mentally tried to focus on the task at hand. He went and changed into a different t-shirt, filled a small duffle with his swimming and hiking accessories, then remembering his luggage went out to the truck to retrieve it. He would check messages and mail later, right now he had a date to attend to.

Temperance was in the living room, slowly looking around, taking in his style, trying to glean information from her surroundings as though she had never been there before. She sat in the overstuffed chair, his scent enveloped her, she pictured him with his legs stretched out in front of him in the relaxed pose he always took when he was weary. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting her mind wander, seeing herself climb onto his lap in this chair, running her hands up the front of him and into his hair, pulling him toward her, rocking her hips against his erection as he nipped her breast through her shirt…

"You're not sleeping because no one smiles that way in their sleep, the question is, what are you thinking about Bones?" She started at the sound of his voice, her eyes snapping open and her cheeks flushing deeply. He was standing right in front of the chair, his legs stratling hers, so close that from her angle he looked impossibly tall. She didn't answer him; she just looked, wondering at how the simple act of giving herself permission to think about him had become so overwhelming. He crouched down in front of her, reaching out and cupping the side of her face. "At least tell me that whatever thoughts you were having that put that look on your face were about us."

She smiled at him then, "definitely about us." She turned her head slightly and kissed his palm, then lifted her hand and pressed his against her mouth, gently sucking the tender skin in the center, running her tongue across it and letting go.

"Temperance," her name slid from his lips on a breath. He was stunned by the powerfully erotic feeling attached to that gesture. He felt like she set his whole body on fire, he could feel his face flush with the intensity of his arousal and he was unsure he could stand up. He realized at that moment that all the fantasies he had ever had about her would fall short of the reality. She was all impulse, sexy without knowing it, sensual without planning it, willing to just follow her own desire. She was staring at him, waiting for him to move or speak but he was looking at her with a strange expression as though he had never really seen her before.

"Hey there, I thought you said we had to get going," her voice was low. He seemed to snap out of it then, rising back up and stepping away from her all at once.

He picked up his bag and grinned in her direction, "well, are you coming?"

"Not yet" she whispered too softly for him to hear as she headed to the door.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The weather was beautiful; they drove, not to a park but to what appeared to Temperance as a private property. It was confirmed as they passed through a gate requiring a security code. The sign on the gate said that trespassers would be shot as intruders, those that survived will be prosecuted. Underneath the word survived someone had noted in marker that no one ever had.

"Booth, where are we?" She was looking around, taking it all in, really quite surprised at how quickly they had arrived at such a rural place.

"It's government owned. The FBI used it for training years ago but they relocated to a much larger piece of land for privacy when the city began to encroach. It makes people nervous to hear weapons being fired and some of the big guns we use can be heard for several miles. Now we use the small lake for swimming and canoeing and we picnic and camp here, some come to de-stress after a particularly bad case but only a certain number of us have the code. I called and no one else was scheduled to come out today although it doesn't matter, the picnic and lake areas are plenty big. We have all brought things out here and worked on it so now it's like our own private resort but we try not to call too much attention to it because we don't want the government to decide they can use it for something else. It's a well kept FBI secret I'm trusting you with so you are going to have to swear an oath of secrecy." He was smiling at her and she listened intently, wondering who exactly the "we" in his statements referred to and whether she would ever meet them. She looked around, the place was beautiful, they drove to a small building in a clearing and the lake and picnic area came into view. He took out his key and unlocked the building, there was a lounge, a kitchen area and bathrooms and showers. It was sparse but functional and clean, not bad for a bunch of FBI guys on the sly.

They chose a picnic table and began to set thing up, after getting organized; they decided to check out the lake, it was still a little early to eat. Temperance headed into the lodge to change, feeling a flutter of nerves at having her suit on in front of Booth. She wondered about it as she changed, after all there were several times today she was more than willing to be completely naked in front of him, the bathing suit should be no big deal. Part of her knew it was because he would be looking at her as a woman and not just his partner and that even though it had taken her a year to shift gears and be willing to try this with him it still felt so new, but so right. She started laughing out loud then, at herself, nervous like a teenaged girl about whether or not her boyfriend would think she was attractive in her bathing suit. This man was making her crazy. She grabbed the towels and suntan lotion and headed down to the picnic area.

Booth was waiting, he had gotten some foam boards, floaties, and a beach ball out of the storage shed and changed into his suit. He was standing at the edge of the water, checking the temperature when he looked up and saw her coming toward him. He walked into the water, dipped under and turned back around, he was chest deep and she was nearing the edge. The cool water didn't help as he had hoped it would. He could barely look at her and yet he couldn't tear his eyes from her. She was beautiful and sexy as hell. She was wearing a navy blue bikini, simple, classic and very flattering to her already stunning figure. He knew she worked out, kept up with her defense classes, sometimes went running or did yoga but she wasn't just tone, she was amazing. He watched the muscles in her legs move as she walked, watched the tightening across her stomach and the weight of her breasts as she bent to spread out the towel, when she turned around to straighten the corner of the towel he dove under the water and began swimming. The image of her strong back, the line of her spine trailing down to the dimples showing above the curve of her ass was burning in his brain. He swam until his lungs were screaming before coming up for air. He had gone some distance; he drew a deep breath and began slowly swimming back toward her.

"Come on Bones, just dive in, it's not cold." To his surprise she walked out a few more steps and lunged out in a long dive, quickly swimming to him.

"It feels remarkable," she smoothed back her hair, easily treading water near him.

"You look remarkable." He was staring at her with the look she was quickly learning was pure lust, the look of a wolf, predatory and hungry. That look made her entire body blush. She remembered her turmoil while changing and started laughing as she said thank you. His eyebrow raised in question at her.

She shook her head, "race you to the floating dock." The words had barely left her lips and she was gone, cutting through the water with ease it became immediately obvious to him that she was definitely a swimmer. She beat him with ease.

"You cheated; you took a huge head start." He was breathing hard from the exertion of trying to catch her. She was laughing at him, noting that this was part of their competitive natures they could enjoy.

"I did not cheat. Let's get on the dock and I'll let you catch your breath. We'll dive from the dock at the same time. The last one to the beach ball owes the other one a massage." She was already climbing onto the dock, smiling to herself because she couldn't believe she said a massage was the prize but all she had in her head was how good his hands would feel on her and it just popped out of her mouth.

He glanced over at her, the navy bikini was wet now, her skin rising with goose bumps, her nipples tight against the fabric in the breeze.

He looked up and she was staring at him, eyebrow raised, smiling wickedly.

"If you're ready now Booth, I wouldn't want you to lose and then say you weren't ready. I'm even going to let you count off the dive, on three, okay?" She had the toes of one foot curled over the edge, knees slightly bent, ready to launch. The competitor in him raised his head, he was honestly a little worried about the possibility that she may beat him. He focused on the water, leveled his breathing and began to count.

"One, two," he paused, "THREE!" The dock moved back from the force of them lunging into the water. From the corner of his eye he saw her body stretch out over the water, an arc of flesh that spiked into the surface and disappeared. He hit the water, stroking hard, he could hear her not far away and he pushed himself, glancing up to spot the ball in the distance. He put his head down, kicking, thinking he should be just about there, his knee struck sand as did his arm. He lifted his head and there she was, sitting on her towel, holding the beach ball with a spectacular smile on her face.

"You lose Booth." She watched him, sitting in the water, beached not far from shore with a startled look on his face. She got up and strolled back into the water, taking his hand when she reached him, "come on, let's go back out to the dock."

"How did you get ahead of me?" He took her hand, following her back into the lake.

"Superior skill, strength and stamina, besides, swimming is something I have always done, I have a lifetime of intermittent practice. Michigan, land of ten thousand lakes, the beach was cheap and anonymous so I can see now why we went so often when I was a child, and swimming was something I could always do alone." She spoke calmly as though they discussed her childhood everyday. They swam easily back out to the dock and climbed on, dangling her legs over the side, Temperance laid back to catch some sun and warm up for a few minutes.

"I'll give you skill, but there is no way you are stronger than I am, a little more aerodynamic in the water maybe but not stronger and I have serious doubts about better stamina too." His protest had more irritation than conviction. He had settled down beside her, shadowing her position a small pout lingering on his mouth. He didn't like losing.

"We can go again but I'm warning you, it's nothing personal but I'll beat you again. There are many things at which you could beat me Booth but this isn't one of them, with six months of good training, maybe, but not today. I'm strong for my size and you have bulk muscle, which is heavy and takes a lot to move through the water, you have to spend more energy to go the same distance as I do." She wasn't gloating, just stating it as though it was an unavoidable fact.

They lay there for a few moments, he reached over and took her hand, she looked over but he had his eyes closed against the sun. She watched his chest rise, drops of water sparkling in the lines of his abdomen. She wanted to touch him but kept her hand to her side, knowing that wet and near naked was too much temptation. She thought he was beautiful, sculpted, muscular, his chest narrowing to a rock stomach. She loved the dip just above his hip bones where the well worked muscled curved inward and she knew her hand would fit. She mentally paused, there it was again, the word love in reference to him. How could she really love a man she didn't know that much about? She knew some of his deepest secrets and yet didn't know what his favorite sandwich was. Where does love begin? She tried to remember her own childhood but so much of it was missing. She had images in her head, snapshots in time, sometimes there were scenes that played like movie shorts but she struggled with other memories.

She refocused her gaze on his body, the strong physical reaction in her own felt both remarkable and terrifying. She tried to find a point of reference and once again went back to her childhood. She was on a rollercoaster with Russ, it was so tall that when she looked up she couldn't see the top. She didn't want to say she was afraid so she had gotten on it but once the cars started the slow climb up the largest hill her heart was trying to pound its way out of her chest. The fear was electrifying and by the time they went over the top and she felt the train lurch and let go into its fall, she was screaming just like everyone else. It was fun, both remarkable and terrifying to her, just like right now.

"Are you just going to stare at me?" He opened one eye and looked over at her.

"Does it make you uncomfortable?"

"Yes, but in a good way." He was grinning now.

"Come on, let's get back in the water and I'll race you underwater. It'll give your ego a chance to recover."

"Very funny, my ego is fine, but I'll take you up on the race." They jumped back into the water and began competing. Who could swim further underwater, who could hold their breath longer, who was better at keeping the beach ball in the air, who could balance on the foam board longer and who could dive further. They competed hard but laughed harder, respecting each others strengths and exploiting each others weaknesses. They walked out of the lake in search of food over an hour later, both of them more than ready for lunch.

Booth grabbed charcoal from the storage shed and fired up the grill. He opened the cooler and began getting things ready, once Temperance had finished the table, she poured them both some Gatorade and sat down.

"Is there anything I can help you with Booth?"

He took a drink and shook his head no, "I have it all under control and I know you're starving so here, you can start with this." He set a container of sliced vegetables and dip in front of her, grabbing a carrot and popping it into his mouth as he did so. He pulled out an apron and put it on and she started laughing. "Hey I'm doing the grilling and I am not into getting burned, it's strictly a safety measure."

"It's great with your bathing suit." She was still chuckling when she went up to use the restroom.

He was humming when she returned, busily placing things on the grill, it smelled wonderful. He turned, grabbing a handful of mixture from a container and quickly and efficiently making a patty and dropping it onto the grill. He heard his name and when he turned there was a click.

"Where the hell did you get a camera." He was only feigning anger.

"It's my emergency disposal for crime scenes, I always have one in my bag but I never thought it would come in this handy." She was munching on the vegetables as he deftly cranked out a few more patties and threw them on the grill. "Aren't you starving?"

"Yeah, but I'm a little busy here, once everything is on the grill I'll catch up."

She watched him, obviously loving this, absorbed in the rhythm and timing of cooking. She picked up the container in front of her and went and stood beside him. She dipped a carrot on the dip and brought it to his lips. Glancing down he opened his mouth, she fed it to him carefully. His lips were just brushing her fingers. She dipped a cherry tomato next, he paused and flipped the seasoned salmon patties and turned the potatoes. As she brought it to his lips, the dip was running on her finger, threatening to drip. He opened his mouth and took the tomato and her fingers, gently sucking the dip off and running his tongue over the tips before releasing them. He was grateful for the apron now, feeling the familiar ache of need rising between his legs. He had entertained so many fantasies involving her hands that he couldn't believe he was standing here grilling with her fingers in his mouth. She brought him another one and he sucked firmly on the finger she had in his mouth and she drew it slightly in and out before removing it. She swallowed hard and continued to feed him, even when they both knew he could now do it himself. He turned to her then, setting down his spatula and gently pulling her against him. He kissed her and she tilted her head, opening her mouth, wanting him.

Her fingers tingled when he took the first tomato and a flood of warmth began pooling in her belly. She felt the arousal become moisture and knew she was wet, just like that. She couldn't stop watching his mouth, each time his lips wrapped around her fingers she felt a tug deep in her center. When he put down the spatula and turned she had never wanted so badly to kiss anyone. She sank against him, focused on the taste of him, meeting his tongue and melting into him. She could feel his penis pressing against her and knew they should stop. He slowly pulled away and without a word he tucked her slightly behind him and opened the grill. He flipped the patties onto a plate and cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure.

"Lunch is ready, get it while it's hot." He laughed at his own reference and set the plate on the table, wondering if every time he touched her it would burn with this much intensity. She sat down as he brought over the foil packets, opening the steaming potatoes, onions and garlic to let them cool. After opening the corn he poured a sauce over the patties and sat down.

"Booth I didn't have all of this at my house. Where did it come from and what kind of sauce is on the Salmon?" She was fixing her plate and chatting away, trying to ignore the messages still echoing from her body, focusing instead on her hunger.

"I threw a few things in when we stopped at my place and the sauce is a cucumber lime sauce which cools the spicy seasoning of the salmon patties. The potatoes are an old boy scout recipe." He paused, waiting for her to try the Salmon, recalling from this morning what her approval would mean. He was not disappointed; she placed the bite in her mouth and moaned softly.

"Booth this is exquisite, I can't believe this is what you fix as a picnic lunch. It's so good." She paused to take another bite, he was watching her. "Don't just stare at me, eat your lunch and don't think I didn't catch that you were in the boy scouts." She tried the potatoes and was equally impressed. He had always liked the fact she ate with enthusiasm, would try any dish and was always honest about whether she liked the food or not. Sid had even taken to bringing out new dishes for her to try to get her opinion because he knew she would tell him the truth. Why hadn't he ever cooked for her before today?

"Booth do you think we are doing the right thing, dating?" Her voice was a whisper.

He froze, a sudden fear gripped him. "Does it feel right to you?"

She thought about she felt about him, removing the sexual aspect and trying to be objective. She felt safe with him, she enjoyed his company even when they were fighting, she respected that he stood his ground and didn't just give in to her, she admired how his brain worked when he was piecing a case together and she believed he was genuinely honest and caring. She knew if she was having a rough day she was glad to see him and he seemed to be able to interpret her language to other people when they didn't understand her. He was watching her carefully, his face still, trying not to give anything away. She knew that look though, he was scared, the more frightened Booth became, the stiller he sat. Only grief and fear immobilized his otherwise energetic stance.

"Yes, it feels right, I'm not running Booth, I'm just asking." She reached across and took his hand while she spoke. "I know it doesn't feel like anything I've ever felt before and since none of my past relationships have worked out I think that's a good sign."

She released his hand and continued eating. He spoke between bites.

"I thought at first I was just attracted to you, I could feel that chemistry between us but as time went on I found it was so much more than that. There was no one else I could talk to the way we do, actually discussing the topic. There was no one else I could call at any time with an emergency big or small. You were as dedicated as I was to every case no matter how messy they became you didn't back down. It didn't take long for me to realize that no matter what I was doing and who it was with, I would have preferred being with you."

"Could it all really be this simple?" She was asking seriously.

"Bones, it will never be simple, but anything worth having rarely is and I believe that you are definitely worth it. Do you want to stop?" He held her gaze, needing to see her expression as she spoke.

"No, no I'm just asking what you think. You know, what's your phrase? I'm just making sure we're on the same page and every now and then I still get a twinge of guilt that this may compromise our professional relationship." She smiled at him reassuringly, "really Booth, I'm fine. Let's finish eating and then I have something we can do."

"You brought along an activity?" He raised his brow in surprise.

"Don't look so shocked Booth."

"What is it?" He was grinning again and it was infectious.

"Finish your lunch and find out."


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: They are not mine.

Author note: Okay folks this is the last T chapter (M looms on the horizon), please let me know what you think as the crowds have been rather quiet lately. REVIEW! I just like to know that someone is out there and my words are not spinning endlessly into space. Thanks.

"I'm intrigued Bones, I thought you didn't play any games. This is another thing I didn't know about you." He was looking at her surprised.

"Actually there are games I find worth my time, not too many but a few."

"You don't have to tell me what we're doing today but name some other games you play. We'll pick up our questions while we finish lunch."

"In cards I play poker, euchre, cribbage and pinochle. I didn't learn too many board games, Scrabble and Monopoly, but I think Monopoly drags on too long. I learned Yahtzee and some dice games we made up from my brother. I can play chess but no one in my family could beat me so I stopped when I was nine or ten. That was about it from my childhood but there were interesting games I learned while traveling, from people all over the world, none of which were ever commercialized so you can't go buy them in a box. What games do you know Booth?"

He was amazed at her list, several of them workable for the two of them but how could he tell her that as a child he had played an endless list of games. They had almost every commercial game made, they played all kinds of card games, outside games, organized sports, games on their bikes, games in the pool, they played like children at his house, all the time. Her childhood had been different and even under the most normal of circumstances she had been a different child. He didn't want to answer, didn't want to hold his childhood up against hers so the differences would be visceral. He thought that would be painful for her and on a selfish level he didn't want to crush the good mood she was in now. He dodged the big picture by focusing on the things they had in common.

"Well, I'm a little intimidated by your statement about chess. My dad taught me to play, any game that was helpful in learning strategy my father believed to be useful and besides, his father taught him so it was sort of a tradition in the making. I play well because I had a lot of practice, I never competed or anything but it has been a lifelong enjoyment for me. I'd love to play a game with you, see your methods and find out if I can learn to beat you." He was squinting at her as though studying her for a moment and smiling at the same time.

"I haven't played in a long time, I have no idea if I would still be good at it and I would need to look at it for a moment to remember how every piece moved but I would play you, as long as there are no hard feelings if I win." She was teasing him with that last part and he knew it.

"I don't think you'll win every game Bones but I admire your confidence. Now I'm finished with my lunch so what's this game we're going to play?"

"First we should work off our lunch." She reached into her bag and pulled out a Frisbee, "let's get back into the water."

"You know how to throw a Frisbee Bones, now I am impressed." He eagerly got up from the table and followed her toward the water.

"I did have a brother Booth, and he was in touch with the world so there were things he brought home and taught me how to do, this was one of them. We used to play in the yard and at the beach, whenever we went on a trip; Russ always had one with him." She was talking over her shoulder, having reached the water she had waded in and within a few steps she dove out and under, disappearing for what seemed to him a long time. He stood at the shore watching as her head popped up a good 20 feet from where she disappeared. "Come on Booth." She pushed herself up, out of the water and with a snap of her wrist the Frisbee came sailing at him. He snatched it out of the air, grinning at her. At that moment, standing in the water, calling to him to come and play, she was so beautiful it made his heart ache in his chest. He walked out, tossing the Frisbee at her as he moved. She grabbed it out of the air with ease. She was so graceful in her reach that he wondered if it was her comfort in the water or just being able to relax and be herself. He was grateful they had ended up alone here today; it had given them some much needed space with each other.

"Nice throw and a nice catch, you're good at this Bones."

She look at him perplexed, "did you think I was lying?" The Frisbee sliced back through the air, directly to him.

"No, not at all, it's just you have never mentioned it before and I am a bit surprised." He tossed it back to her and she quickly grabbed it. He dove into the water then, moving out parallel to her. The disk came flying, a little high and he had to jump for it but he caught it and grinning, shot it back at her. She was quick once again to return it to him, it was high again and this time he really had to leap to reach it, but he successfully caught it.

"Bones I know you think a lot of me, but I'm not that tall." When he looked at her she was laughing and he grinned at her. "What's so funny?"

"I just like watching you jump for it," she was still laughing and blushing now.

"BONES!" He was turning red himself and he flipped the Frisbee back at her, well above her head. Instinctually she went up and grabbed it, realizing even as she did that he had turned the tables on her. When she came back down she was shocked to see the lake in front of her empty but even as she was figuring it out, she felt his hands grab her from behind and take her under. She twisted out of his grasp and surfaced, coming out of the water at the same time he did. She tossed the Frisbee toward the beach and turned to him.

"That was a mistake Booth." She was smiling but there was a look in her eyes and suddenly all his senses were on alert. She was going to attack, he could see her eyes darting, assessing his stance, planning her next move.

"Now Bones, this is all in good fun so let's not get carried away here." She was quick, he had to give her that, her long leg shot toward him to swipe his feet out from under him but in the water the move didn't work as well. He grabbed for her leg as it went by but missed it and while he was bent she closed in and thrust up on his torso, sending him off balance and under the water. He popped immediately back up, wiping the water from his face and slicking his hair back.

"Okay, we're even, right?" He was grinning at her, his hands held up in a gesture of surrender as he moved toward her. "Truce, let's just call a truce okay because I could see us drowning one another trying to prove who is the toughest." He had reached her and brought his hands down, sliding them around her waist he pulled her to him. It still surprised him that she didn't resist. She felt wonderful against him and he leaned down and kissed her, gingerly touching his lips to hers, sliding his tongue over her bottom lip, tasting her.

She tightened her arms around his neck, moving closer against him and he could feel her breasts pressing into him in the wet suit and the warm flesh of her abdomen against his. He ran his hand up her back to the nape of her neck as the kiss became more intense. He broke away, looking at her with a small smile, her hand sliding from his hair to his shoulder. She watched a line of water slip down his neck and start over the curve of muscle and she suddenly leaned forward and captured it with her mouth, just next to his nipple. He inhaled sharply and she traced her tongue slowly back up the path to his neck where she bit into his skin before releasing her mouth. She wanted to do it again, drop by drop quench some thirst that had nothing to do with the water and everything to do with his skin. She looked at him and his eyes had gone almost black.

He bent to her neck and kissed her, sucking in the flesh and moving across her shoulder and back up her neck. She was moaning softly against him, her hands gliding over his shoulders, nails trailing her touch. He moved down, kissing a path to her cleavage, darting his tongue in and out before placing his lips around her nipple. His breath was like fire coming through the thin fabric and he paused, then clamped his lips down, flicking his tongue firmly over the tight bud. She cried out and he felt her hips lurch in the water, her back arching toward him. Suddenly he stopped, standing back up he pulled her against him in a crushing hug.

As her surprise subsided she heard him whisper in her ear, "we have to stop, we can't do this here, not like this Temperance, not the first time." She was holding him just as tightly and at his words gave him a squeeze, wanting him to know she understood but unable or unwilling to form words just yet. He could feel her leg twitching against his and he continued to hold her until it finally felt like it stopped.

"Come on, I'll race you across the lake and back and I'll even pretend to make it close." She saw him nod and they plunged into the water. In the end it was close and Brennan realized that over a long distance he probably would beat her but she was never going to tell him that. Right now they both had plenty of energy to expel.

They retrieved the Frisbee and played and raced until they were both tired. They walked together to the beach and stretched out on the towels, the warm sun welcome on their skin.

Temperance took a deep breath, letting the sun warm and dry her, she was trying not to think, but as usual her brain continued to churn. On one hand this felt natural and right, but on the other it was frightening. The feelings she was allowing herself to feel for Booth were much larger than she thought and even with the sex aside, she was unsure how she was going to manage them. It felt so strange to her, to have all these impulses firing that she could not control or shut down. How did other people do it? Had her parents felt this way about one another? When her mother told her she would grow up and meet the right type of man is this what she meant? Would her mother have liked Booth? There was so much in her head, so much that remained unanswered. Her mother had told her she was unique in the world and that most people she met wouldn't understand her but as she got older the differences between her and other people would become less obvious and less important. Temperance could not imagine that happening, she felt as though all the children around her spoke a different language. They watched programs she thought were a waste of time, had conversations about things she thought trivial, played games that appeared pointless and engaged in a social communication filled with subtle rules she just didn't comprehend. She had no friends, she spoke to no one, always feeling awkward and unsure in the popularity driven school system.

After her parents disappeared she went into foster care and communicated even less with the outside world. No one cared if she ever went to a school activity, no one cared if she did anything at all. She turned inward, holding her grief at night and getting through the days by staying emotionally unavailable.

Her mother was right about her age, as she grew older and entered college and then the graduate programs she met more people that understood her intelligence. She found she could ask questions, debate theory, argue logic and actually have others respond to her in an intelligent way. It helped her to open up a little and through her room mates she slowly learned some basic social skills and would sometimes go out with them. She started defense classes her second year after a series of date rapes on campus and found the strength, power and adrenaline addictive. She learned to dance and had her first sexual experiences but still kept her emotions secured. For the young Temperance sex was another type of physical exercise and pleasure but nothing more. She experimented some, read extensively and was always the one in control.

She had learned to enjoy the limited company of other people, had seen them come and go from her life but had poured all her energy and passion into her education and then her work. She was proud of what she had accomplished and yet it seemed more often than not a hollow victory, not that she didn't understand what she did for the families of the victims she identified, but on a personal level.

Temperance knew that since the beginning of time people had come together as couples, families, villages and communities. Man was not meant to be a solitary creature and as much as she enjoyed her time alone there was that nagging sense that she didn't have any one to really share her life with, whether good or bad. Her parents were con artists and bank robbers and still had each other, they understood each other and were witnesses to the success and failures of each others life. Who was there to share and witness her life, to understand and encourage her endeavors?

That answer had walked into her office with an FBI issued gun and badge. Is that what she was doing, choosing him as a mate, for life? What made him feel so different to her? Was she already in love with him? If she had never been in love before how was she supposed to know if that's what this was? It made her chest ache to think about it. Will she be able to open up to him, to tell him all these things she's thinking?

She looked over at him; he was sleeping beside her looking as sweet and innocent as a child. He had taken the time to get to know her, her fears, her issues, and her boundaries. He had slowly moved past each of her walls until he had found her center, not only making her feel but making her want to feel and letting her know it was fine to be afraid. She trusted him. He was going to have to work on the overprotective thing though, even if his intentions were good. She turned on her side and lightly touched his hair and watched him turn toward her hand in his sleep. He had been so patient with her, waiting this year for her to see what he had known for so long. She noticed he was getting pink and leaned over and gently kissed him on the lips. He stirred and she kissed him again, smiling against him when she felt his arms come around her.

She perched on her elbow and looked at him, "your nose is getting pink, I thought you should be getting up before you ended up with a burn. We should probably both get out of the sun for a while."

Something about the way she was looking at him was different but he couldn't put his finger on what it was. She stood up, taking his hand and pulling him to his feet. They gathered the towels and beach items and Brennan went to the table and began folding and putting things away while Booth put the resort items back in storage. Their easy domestic rhythm did not escape him.

"Hey I thought you had a game for us to play. What happened?"

She blushed slightly, "we can't play that right now Booth, maybe later."

"Why not now Bones?" He had that trouble making look. He pulled out a container, took off the lid and placed it between them on the table. It was filled with cold grapes which they both began eating, their huger from the busy day creeping back up on them.

"You sounded like Parker just then but I'll answer you anyway. We can't play now because it involves physical contact and we don't have very much control in that department so we have to play later." Her cheeks were red, beyond the flush from the sun and he was chuckling wickedly.

"I just wanted to hear you say it." He was laughing outright now. She threw a grape at him, bouncing it off his forhead.

"Hey, you could have taken my eye out."

"Not with a grape Booth." He tossed the grape then, a gentle loft that pitched and landed in her cleavage."

"SCORE!" He was laughing and slapped the table.

"Just remember Booth we aren't in the water now, I could drop you like a house." She was trying to be angry but couldn't make it stick.

"It's like a tone of brick or a hot potato, but not a house."

"I don't know what you mean." She had the perplexed look he loved so much.

"Your phrase, it should be 'I could drop you like a ton of bricks' or you could say 'I could drop you like a hot potato' but not like a house, you don't drop a house."

"I couldn't drop a ton of bricks either, I couldn't even lift a ton of bricks, although I get the hot potato."

"Bones, I don't make these things up and actually I have no idea who does, I'm just telling you what the accepted versions are so you can use them correctly." Even as she rolled her eyes at him, he thought she was attractive, he wanted to kiss her. She looked at him and was amazed for what felt like the hundredth time that day how just his expression could make her body respond. She wanted to look away, but couldn't tear her eyes from his. At that moment she made a decision and once she had she knew there was no turning back. In her head she could almost hear the click of the safety bar in the car on the roller coaster, locking her in for the ride.

"Seeley, let's go home." She saw his eyes flash an instant of surprise and then deepen as her meaning registered.

"Are you sure, I thought you wanted to take this slow?" His voice was so low she could hardly hear him.

"I do, so when we get there, go slow." He didn't speak, couldn't speak. He got up from the table without another word and began to pack their belongings, his hands trembling as he tried to regain his composure. He wasn't thinking about which home they would go to because in his mind there was only one word that defined home and that one word was Temperance.


	7. Chapter 7

**Warning: Sexually explicit chapter-rated M**

Authors note: This is an M chapter for those interested in the MA version please e-mail me a private request. If you want the MA chapter you don't need to read this one because this material is included in the MA version. I would really like opinions on one or both versions as I would like to know what you think. Good? Bad? Too much? Too little? Please review, I know you're out there I can hear you breathing.

She walked up to the resort house, she needed to change into her clothes and decided she

should rinse off in one of the showers. As she took off her bathing suit she tried to remember the last time she had spent the day with a man and wore just her bikini the whole time without being self conscious. Never. She stepped under the water, a hollow feeling of nerves in her belly, she watched her own hands move over her body and they felt strange to her. Suddenly she knew why, her whole body was so anticipating his touch that even her own hands didn't feel right. Her body was aching for him and she considered walking nude from the shower to where she knew he was on the other side of the wall. She tried to imagine the look on his face, it was so tempting, but his words came back to her. Not here, not for our first time. She finished her shower quickly and stepped out, drying off and dressing back into her tank and shorts in record time. She seemed in control of herself as she brushed her hair and packed her suit and yet marveled at the swirling emotions within her that, in contradiction, seemed completely out of control. It was like being drugged or in a dream, her mind and heart racing and her body moving at its normal rate of function. She looked in the mirror one last time, her eyes were dilated and glassy, her face pink from the sun, her breathing quick and shallow, "get a hold of yourself," she whispered to her own reflection but the woman in the mirror just smiled back. Temperance was ready and went in search of Booth.

He packed everything but his bag into the car, when he reached the resort house he heard the shower turn on and thought that was a good idea. He started his water and stripped off his trunks, his penis bobbing in soft salute under the cold water. His testicles ached, he had been in some state of arousal almost all day. How was he going to control himself when he got there? All his urges were tuned so high that all he could imagine was fevered pounding release. He had taken his share of women to bed along the way but no one had ever evoked in him this type of raw desire. He never felt for even a moment the way he had felt all day with her, consumed, his erection seeming to just materialize as she looked at him. He couldn't imagine what it would take to exhaust this feeling. How long would they have to make love to burn through all this wanting? A week, a month, a year or maybe, hopefully, a lifetime. He stepped out of the shower and dried and dressed, combing through his hair he glanced in the mirror. Even to himself he looked crazy, his eyes bright and wild, his jaw clenched. He leaned toward the mirror, "settle down." His image appeared to calm down, his face softening, but this was a sniper trick for as calm as he now looked, he could still hear his heart pounding in his own ears.

When she came out he was standing next to the truck waiting for her, leaning casually against the door just like any other day. He took her bag and tossed it into the back, she had just gotten into her seat when he stepped inside the door. He leaned down and kissed her, relaying his urgency and need, his tongue roaming in hunger. He cupped her breast through her shirt, rubbing over the nipple with his thumb. She pressed her feet against the floor, her body lifting off the seat, straining toward him. Her arms wound around his neck pulling him to her, her fingers sinking into his muscles. He released her, buckled her seat belt over her, kissed her forehead and walked around and got in his side of the car. Once buckled in he looked at her, "I was just making sure you were still with me."

"Booth it would take a lobotomy to get you out of my head right now."

He burst out laughing. "Bones, that was both a squint joke and a sex joke, well done."

She too was laughing and it helped ease their tension and loosen some of the energy. He turned the key and dialed them through the security gate, laughter still spilling from the car.

He headed toward the city.

"Talk to me Bones."

"About what?"

"Anything, I need to concentrate on the road, I need to think about something other than how your body feels under my hands." He drew a deep breath, looking over at her and in that glance felt the impact of her.

"I think my mother would have liked you." She was surprised that this is what she had blurted out and she was suddenly embarrassed, like a teenager looking for parental approval for her boyfriend. It had been on her mind today, she knew that's why she said it. "All the game playing and talk of our childhoods made me think of my mother quite a bit today and I think she would have liked you. She was worried about my lack of social skills and always told me that when I became an adult the issues of my teenaged years would be long gone. Some times I wonder if she had lived if that would have been true. I know though that she would have liked you although now, knowing what I know, she probably would have had a breakdown if I brought an FBI agent home. My parents on the most wanted list, my brother an ex convict, me not only working with the FBI but seeing an agent is a set up for disaster. Even with my so called limited social skills I could see that being a problem." She smiled then, the irony of it all so blatant now that she had spoken it out loud.

"Bones, that means a lot to me, not just that you shared all that with me, but that your mom would've liked me. I'm really touched that you think so. Thank you, for that, it just, well it just means a lot." He was unable to describe how he felt, that was a big admission on her part and a lot for her to offer him about the pain that not having her mother caused her. He wanted to say more to her but didn't really know what that would be. He was just happy that she felt comfortable enough to start talking to him about it at all.

He reached over and took her hand, just holding it gently in his. He gave it a squeeze when he had to let go to turn the suv onto the freeway. She dropped her hand to his thigh and let it rest there, he felt the warmth through his jeans. She was looking out the window, deep in thought and he was afraid the conversation about her mother had turned her inward. He could feel her hand then, her fingers dancing lightly on his leg, moving higher. He didn't look down as he wanted to do because he knew they would get in an accident. Her fingers began to massage his muscle, slowly moving up his leg. The pressure increased and her hand moved between his legs, curling around his erection, squeezing lightly. She could feel him grow against her palm and she sighed heavily as a throb pulsed in her center. A groan drifted from his side of the car.

His voice was weighted and deep, "Temperance, you are supposed to be talking to me so I can concentrate on the road, this feels, well, counterproductive."

"How did that go, _I was just trying to make sure you were still with me._" She moved her hand back to her lap as he began to chuckle.

"Very funny, you're a quick learner, I'll hand you that." She was laughing softly. "Do you want to go to your place or mine?"

"Mine, if that's okay with you." Her answer was immediate and she was turning red, a look of guilt washing across her face.

"What's up Bones, you answered that as if you had already been thinking about it." He couldn't quite place what was going on in her head at that moment.

"It's nothing, just forget about it." Something was clearly going on with this.

"Oh no you don't, I can see that you're hiding something and you're blushing." He was using the charming grin.

She pulled down her visor and looked in the mirror, placing her hands on her cheeks, "damn it." She snapped the visor up, sitting for a moment, when she spoke her voice had that clear tone of simply stating the facts. "I want to go to my place because I was thinking about what we were going to do when we got there. Then I was thinking about how empty my apartment feels sometimes after you leave so I figured I would be able to go lie down and your scent would be there and it would make me feel better, not so alone." She was almost whispering by the time she said the last sentence.

When she vaguely referred to _what they were going to do when they got there_, he almost teased her, to get her to name their intensions in a more specific way. As she continued and he heard her say her place felt empty after he left, his chest grew tight. He didn't like to think of her as lonely and the image of her moving about her rooms in a lost fashion flashed in his head. She wanted to sleep in a bed that smelled like him so she wouldn't feel so lonely after he left.

"Bones, do you realize that when you were sitting in your home thinking about how empty it felt after I left, I was in my car dreading the drive to my home because I knew you were not in it. I always have a hard time walking away from your door." He didn't know how else to respond except to be honest. "It's funny that we both felt that way and didn't say anything but we can talk now, you don't have to feel that way anymore. It's human nature to not want to be alone."

She was looking at him with slight surprise, "I was thinking that same thing earlier today, how studying thousands of years of remains has told us that man has always sought the company of others, built villages, lived in groups. Even long after the element of security was gone, man has always chosen to live with others of his own kind."

"There was some point today when you were actually thinking that?" He seemed genuinely surprised. When was she reviewing the social history of mankind? He had been with her all day.

"When you were napping on the beach I was working through this part of myself that was no longer content to be alone in the world. What good would all my accomplishments be if there was no one there to share them with, it becomes sort of a sour victory. I realized even my parents, while they were robbing banks, conning people, changing their identities and running, always had each other. So I concluded that there was no prize in living my life so removed, it left me without a witness, without someone to share it with, without…without…"

"Without anyone to love you, without anyone for you to love in return, without a partner, in crime or otherwise." She was staring, eyes wide and he could only glance at her while driving.

There it was again, that love word, for the third time. There was some saying about things in threes or something like that but she couldn't recall it. Love, did she love him? Was she falling in love with him? Was he falling in love with her? She had to stop thinking about it, it made her head spin. She felt him take her hand.

"Yes, without all of that."

"I think you and I have already been some of those things for one another, even if we weren't aware of it. I hope this all hasn't been too much for you today, I know that since we found your mother there has been a lot for you to process but I want you to know I've been very proud of you, how you've dealt with it all and how you have been making such an effort to reach out to people, I know that's been hard." He felt her squeeze his hand and saw the tears brimming in her eyes. He heard her soft word of thanks and they rode the rest of the way in comfortable silence.

He was proud of her, there hadn't been anyone in her life to be proud of her in a long time, at least no one whose opinion she valued. She didn't want to cry so she was trying not to blink, breathing deeply. She still felt weak when she cried and despite the fact she was allowing people into her life she was not comfortable crying. Angela told her it didn't make her weak, that some emotions and having people who care about you in your life actually made you strong. She was startled out of thought as the car pulled into the parking lot. Suddenly she was nervous, and even as she scolded herself the jitters in her stomach danced.

They unpacked the car, emptying the cooler and putting things away as they went. Booth set his bag inside the door, unsure of what to do with it. He was watching her out of his peripheral vision, aware of her every movement. He could feel the tension building in the room and was trying to think of what to do to slow it down. It was only about five o'clock so they had plenty of time although dinner would be a thought at some point. He turned around to speak to her and saw her lifting his bag, without a glance she walked down the hall toward her room. She set the bag near the bed, went and pulled some matches out of a bowl on her nightstand and set them near a candle on her dresser. She had just pulled the blinds and turned around when she saw Booth standing in the doorway, leaning casually against the frame watching her. She slipped off her shoes and walked over to him, her eyes bright she held his gaze and simply placed one hand on his chest.

He leaned in and barely kissed her, their breath mingling as his tongue ran over her upper lip, she opened her mouth, moving her hand behind his neck and pulling him into her. She took her time, meeting his tongue with her own, tasting him now, exploring, she turned her head and he moved closer, now running the tip of his tongue over hers, into her mouth and deeper. He eased his head back and kissed up her jaw, taking her ear lobe into his mouth and sucking gently, running his tongue around the edge of her ear as a small gasp escaped her lips.

Her arms tightened around him and he could feel her fingers massaging and then grazing over his muscles. His hands moved from her hips, tugging her shirt from her waist and sliding up her back. His lips slid down her slender neck and he licked the dip at the base of her neck, tracing his way back up with his tongue. He kissed her chin, his tongue darting out to the dimple in the center then he moved up and bit her lower lip gently. A soft moan came from her, he could feel the vibration in her lips. She leaned back slightly, pulling his t-shirt from his jeans and up over his head, he released her long enough to let the shirt leave his body. She placed her palms on his chest, running them down the front of him, on the way back up her fingers traced the lines of his muscles and then she bent forward, her mouth on him, kissing, open, her tongue running across him, circling his nipple, licking over the top of it and suddenly biting into the solid flesh. She was engrossed in him, moving over him nipping, kissing, sucking the flesh as she went, dragging her teeth across his nipples, moving up to his neck and biting into his shoulder. Her hands were lightly raking up and down his shoulders and arms. He was groaning a low steady rumble from his chest, she loved the sensation of the sound underneath her mouth, the taste and scent of him driving her from one spot to the next.

He had never had a woman attend to him like this, it was driving him crazy, the feel of her against him, hungry to taste him, moving so sensuously over him. He had to concentrate to maintain his control. When she moved back to his neck he pulled her back into him, a small breath rushing from her as she felt his erection press against her. He moved to her lips, kissing her aggressively now, moving his tongue in and out of her mouth, touching hers and withdrawing over and over until she felt dizzy. His hands moved up her sides, grazing the sides of her breasts, her skin was on fire. He paused and stripped her tank up over her head, she shivered as his hands returned to her body, sliding up her sides, his thumbs swept out and over her nipples through the thin material of her bra, she jerked slightly in his grasp and tilted her head back. He moved his mouth to her neck, nuzzling his whiskered jaw along her skin as he sucked softly and then firmly on the muscle across her shoulder. His mouth traveled back to her ear, his thumbs moving steadily over her nipples in a relentless pattern, the peaks tightening beneath his touch. His voice was hot in her ear, "you feel so amazing." He could feel the goose bumps rise on her skin at the sound and feel of his voice, "Temperance, lets go to bed, I want to feel you against me."

She released him reluctantly, taking his hand and walking to the bed. She stopped at the edge and he stopped behind her. She felt him lift her hair and kiss the back of her neck, letting his tongue follow the line of her back, undoing her bra as he went. He reached to her shoulders and slid the straps down her ams, letting it fall. His hands came around her sides and up, cupping both breasts, letting the weight of them rest in his palms as his fingers moved over and around the nipples. He was kissing her back again and came up to her shoulder, peering over he watched as his hands moved over the creamy flesh outlined by the lines of her suit from their day in the sun. He smiled as his fingers grasped the nipples firmly. She arched back against him, her head against his shoulder, her breasts out, her hips pushing back into his penis, moaning. He dropped his hands to her waist and undid her shorts, pushing them down until they fell to the floor. Her arms came up and reached back, pulling his head around she turned her face so she could kiss him. His hands moved freely over the front of her, caressing her breasts, across her belly, over her hips and to the top of her thighs, indulging in the soft feel of her skin beneath him. The desire pooled between her legs, she could feel the moisture and heat against her thighs, everywhere his hands moved her body moved to follow.

She began rocking her hips back against him, pushing up and down, almost stroking him with her body. His hand traced the edge of her underwear and slipped beneath the material, dipping into her soft hair, sinking past her lips into the silky wetness and pressing on her clitoris. She jerked back against him, crying out from the sudden intense jolt of pleasure. He removed his hand and turned her around. As he reached for her she grabbed his wrists and moved his hands behind his back, he left them there as she brought her hands around to the front and undid his jeans, slowly popping the button and dragging the zipper down. She began kissing his chest again, slipping her hands into the waist of both his jeans and boxers, down and around, squeezing his ass, then pulling both down to the floor. He stepped out of his clothes and she pulled off his shoes and socks, then stood, with him naked in front of her. She began at his shoulders, touching him with her slender fingers, kissing him lightly, moving down his body with focused intensity, burning a path down the center of him. He closed his eyes, tilting his head back, feeling the trail of fire in the wake of her mouth, her fingers. In a flash he scooped her up and laid her on the bed.

She was looking at him, her eyes a bottomless blue, need echoing in their depths he kept his gaze locked on hers as he reached down and slid her underwear off. He let his eyes slowly travel the length of her, she was trembling. He lay down next to her, kissing her, his tongue teasing hers, prodding gently. She felt his hand across her abdomen, smoothing across her skin, down one thigh and up the other, circling but not touching. He moved his hand between her legs, her hair barely grazing his palm and could feel the heat pouring off her. He took his mouth from hers, rubbing his cheek against her and moving to her ear, "you are so beautiful, so incredibly beautiful." He moved his head down to her neck kissing a path to her breast, capturing the nipple between his lips and flicking his tongue firmly over the head. She moaned and pushed up against him, the sound becoming a steady hum from her lips as he continued.

He moved up and was kissing her neck, every touch made her feel more alive, more aroused, just more. She wrapped her legs around him, opening her eyes, her fingers pressing into his back, she reached down and moved the head of his penis against her waiting body, rubbing it up and down in the wet entrance. He was looking at her now and she gave him the smallest nod so he pushed into her. He felt her walls suck around him, hot, tight, he eased forward slowly, watching as she drew in her breath. He felt her lift up beneath him, rolling her hips and drawing up her knees as he sank deeper into her. He watched her arch her head into the pillow, her hands clenched onto his back. He began kissing her neck and slowly moving all the way out and back into her. She opened her eyes and looked at him, locked her gaze on his, their bodies on fire, sliding together, beginning a rhythm as they rocked together. She brought his face to hers, their lips barely touching, "Seeley you feel so, so…"

"I know, it's okay, I know." He was whispering against her lips and leaning in to kiss her as he began moving faster, her thighs tightening against his sides, she followed. They moved together, following the urge to go faster, he could feel her tightening around him and he knew she was close. He pushed rapidly against her, she came up off the bed, calling his name, her thighs crushing against him, her legs and hips lifting them as her body locked on him. His hips pushed forward, his penis emptying in her with each throb against her as she clamped around him, the feeling exploding between them, through them, over them. They were suspended, held in motion as the feeling folded in on itself over and over. Her body was twitching and trembling as she slid her legs down so they were back against the bed. Her hands were on his buttocks holding on, still pressing him inside of her.

She felt him reach up and move the damp strands from the side of her face, she was overwhelmed, her chest ached, her muscles were still jumping with small shocks and she was afraid to open her eyes. She could feel the burn of tears behind her lids and didn't understand them. He was watching her, he kissed her lids and tasting the salt he knew she was holding on tightly. He hugged her, their bodies still hot and slick and she held on tightly. He waited, just holding her until he felt her start to relax beneath him. He braced himself up higher on his elbows and placed a feather kiss on her lips.

"Temperance open your eyes." It was a simple request. Her lids fluttered and she looked at him, her eyes shining, the cool blue washing over him. He smiled, a grin of satisfaction and joy spread across his face and she smiled back. He eased out of her, hearing her groan of protest as he went, moving next to her on the bed.

She rolled onto her side, next to him, watching his profile as he continued to steady his breathing.

"It was worth it," he spoke softly and she wondered for a second if he was just talking out loud, or to her.

"What was worth it?" She was still breathy as she spoke.

"This, it was worth every moment of waiting, every second of doubt, fear, longing, frustration,…all of it was so worth it, you were so worth it." He turned and looked at her, she was smiling at him.

"I'm glad you never gave up on me." She reached over and stroked the stubble on his cheek, loving the feel of it against her. "Thank you for that."

He started to chuckle, "just remember this at those moments that you want to kill me." He heard her laugh and a grumble come from her. "Was that your stomach?"

"Yes, I am starving. Aren't you hungry? You have to be. We need to refuel our bodies."

He was smiling broadly, "Yes, I am starving."

She climbed off the bed, standing naked. He watched her, surprised, her hair loose and ruffled, her features soft from the sexual activity, the lines from her suit and the marks from his mouth telling the tale of their day together. She was breathtaking.

"Seeley, if you want to do that again anytime soon, I need to eat." She turned then, picked up her robe and left him scrambling from the bed.


	8. Chapter 8

Booth cursed himself for not packing sweats as he pulled on his jeans and wandered out to the kitchen. He stopped in the doorway, watching her open cupboards and gaze into them, waiting for something to strike her.

He came up behind her, slipping his arms around her waist, she leaned back against him and sighed. He relished in having her against him, the feel of her cool cotton robe and silky hair against his chest, the scent that was only her rising up to wake something deep within him. He thought about how content he was within this moment and slowly closed his eyes.

"Hey, why don't you let me fix us something, I'm sure I can scrounge up the ingredients for some kind of dinner." He opened his eyes and leaned in, snuggling against her neck, slightly parting his lips and stealing just a taste of her.

"Booth you fixed our last two meals, you can't make dinner too. Maybe we should order from somewhere." She tilted her head as a wisp of air escaped her and seeing it as a request he took a nibble, following it with his tongue. She gasped deeply, reaching a hand up and running it through his hair.

"Well going out somewhere is out of the question, but I am willing to cook or we could order in, what do you think?" She could feel his lips echo the words against her even as he spoke them, sending a chill up the back of her neck and over her scalp.

"I'm flexible."

"Yes you are, and I couldn't be more appreciative of that." His hand snaked around to the front of her, under the edge of her robe cupping her breast, her nipple gathering under his touch. He closed his eyes, smiling languidly, his fingers moving over her as though reading the very texture of her flesh and then returned to her tight nub. She moaned softly, her hips pulling back suddenly causing him to open his eyes.

Catching up, she whispered, "that's not what I meant." She pulled out of his grasp, turning around in his arms, "food, we were trying to decide on food." She shifted her weight against the ache now burning between her legs and crawling up her belly, wondering at how her body betrayed her, responding to him without her consent. She was caressing his chest with her hand, pleased with her ability to follow that impulse and not have to suppress the urge any longer. She flattened her palm out so she could feel him against her entire hand. How could she already want him again?

"Do you have flour, butter and eggs?"

She looked up at him curiously, "yes."

"Then I can have dinner cooked up in no time." She delicately kissed the center of his chest, directly over his heart. She stayed there, feeling his heart beat against her. He tipped her head up and kissed her, their lips parting, tongues touching, dipping and receding as the passion swirled between them. His hands found her again, pushing the robe aside they trailed across her, caressing up her sides and around to her back.

She drew away from him and smiled, her breathing shallow, "okay, this is dangerous, you stay here and I'm going over there. We won't get anything done otherwise; I'll stay in here with you but no touching until after dinner is made or at least until I say so, understood?" With that she slipped from his arms and moved to the other side of the counter.

He was still looking at the spot she had been standing in but now he turned slowly toward her. "Okay, no touching until dinner is made, this feels strangely like sexual blackmail, Bones. I'm pretty sure there is a violation here somewhere."

He had that boyish grin, his hair still messed and his eyes soft and relenting. She wondered if he had any idea how sexy he was, just standing in her kitchen, doing nothing in particular. Certainly many women had told him along the way. She felt a stab at the thought of other women and pushed it forcefully out of her head instead taking her mind back to him and what she would like to be doing to him.

"If you think I've committed some offence that would warrant the involvement of the FBI, then you can frisk and arrest me later." She was staring him right in the eyes, teasing him and he was painfully aroused by both her boldness and her challenging look. There was that side of her again, the one he sensed but had never seen until this weekend.

"Handcuffs and all?" He asked with his eyebrow raised in interest, his heart pounding so loudly he was sure she could see it from where she stood.

"The handcuffs are a given Agent Booth, the question is, will I resist arrest? Of course, if I were to be taken in I'm sure I would have to explain all these marks on my body." With those words she opened the front of her robe, never taking her eyes off of him.

He broke her gaze, he couldn't help it, his eyes traveled down the slender column of her neck, lingering on the full curve of her breast, the deep rose nipples still tight with his attention, the curve to her waist and the tantalizing glimpse of her navel as the edge of the counter in front of her cut off his view. She was right, the mark of his presence was peppered all over her, a pink whisker burn here and there, a couple of light red bite marks and a wandering trail of pale plum hickies. The images from her bed rushed into his head and he slid his tongue across the roof of his mouth sure he could still taste her. She slowly pulled the robe closed and when his darkened eyes returned to her face it held a satisfied smile. She had him, his erection tight in his jeans, he was wishing for those sweats again.

A sharp wave of panic washed through her brain. What was she doing? She felt the need for him swell as his eyes moved over her but she let him soak up his fill before closing her robe. How could this be, that a man who had been close to her all this time now had this primal power over her body? Just his glance elicited a tingle, a warmth, a wetness. She thought fleetingly of trying to regain control of herself but the idea dissolved even as she was forming it. The truth blazed through her, she liked it, wanted it, craved it.

"So, would you like a glass of wine while I make dinner? Water? Juice? What can I get you?" His rapid shift to normal conversation somehow signaling that for the moment the game was paused.

"It's my place, I can at least get us something to drink. What would you like?"

"I'll have a beer if you have one." She watched him take some chicken from the freezer, and then start pulling ingredients from the refrigerator and seasoning from the counter rack.

Within minutes he had thawed and cut up the chicken and had it in a pan on the stove, vegetables in the sink being rinsed in a colander and he was pouring the last of the flour into a bowl to make some kind of dough. She had managed to open his beer, open and pour her wine, get them both a glass of water and set two places to eat before settling across from him to observe without distraction.

She was amazed at the rhythm with which he worked, multitasking and moving from one thing to the next just as soon as she thought he had forgotten it.

"You multitask really well, maybe that's why I'm not too good at cooking; I am more of a single focus type personality." She watched him reach and turn off the water, stir the chicken, look inside and then turn on the oven before returning to the dough.

"Why did you look in the oven?"

"Bones, some people store things in the oven so it's always good to look in one before turning it on. I always check, now it's automatic."

"That's the most illogical thing I've ever heard. Who would store something in the oven, it would be so easy to forget and catch it on fire."

He was laughing and began explaining to her about how some people don't have enough cupboard space but she was no longer listening. He was kneading the dough, his hands working expertly through the wet ingredients in a quick turning method that began to become folds as the mixture started to resemble a solid form. It was sticky and he added a little more flour before dumping it onto the counter and beginning to work it flat with the heal of his hand, turning, folding and stretching, evening the edges with his masterful fingers until it was a perfect oval, he sliced it in half and continued to work on it. She couldn't take her eyes off his hands, it was as though she had fallen into a trance, watching. She had seen it before in tribes but it was usually women, squatting against the ground pounding corn into dust and then kneading it into bread dough against a rock. The motions were the same, the wrist, the palm, the fingers and it felt like a link to something so much greater than herself. As he separated the dough again she swallowed hard, unable to concentrate on anything except how those hands felt, so strong when he lifted her, so gentle when he caressed her, so maddening when he stroked her, so powerful when moving inside her.

His voice penetrated her thoughts, "Bones, what exactly are you thinking about right this minute?" He was grinning at her, as though he already knew what she was thinking.

"I'm thinking that as good as you are with your hands I'm really going to enjoy that massage you owe me for winning the swimming race." She was smiling broadly, feeling she had saved herself with that answer.

"Really because I could swear that with your eyes that deep ocean blue, your lips slightly parted, your breath coming a little too fast and that flush to your cheeks that you were thinking about something rather sexual. Just where was I massaging you? My guess is that it wasn't your shoulders and I'm pretty good at reading people." He was back to his boyish grin and back in the game with her.

"I never claimed my thoughts weren't sexual." She was blushing deeply now but still forced herself to look at him. He went back to the dough, patting it firmly, slapping his hand across it in a final attempt at leveling. In his peripheral vision he saw her jump slightly and smiled to himself, taking mental notes for later. He took out two small casserole type dishes and molded two pieces of the dough inside, when he turned to stir and add some things to the chicken she was disappointed that he was done with the dough and now had his back to her.

He turned and poked the dough with a fork, sticking the dishes into the oven and turning back to cut the vegetables.

"Booth, there's a cutting board under the sink, if you hand it over I'll help you cut up those vegetables." He bent down and grabbed the board, handing it across to her and then setting a bowl of veges near it. "Are you sure you can be trusted with a knife Bones, I know your track record with weapons." He was laughing even as he finished speaking, that low chuckle that was a warm blanket thrown around her shoulders.

She cocked her head to the side and tried to give him an irritated stare but in truth she couldn't maintain it. She just didn't feel irritated. "Very funny Booth and since you brought it up, when will I be getting a gun?"

He laughed harder, handing her the knife, handle first. "Bones, you are a weapon unto yourself, you don't need a gun."

"I do need one and I'm not sure whether that was a compliment or not. How small do you want these cut?" She was poised with the knife.

"About a half inch or so, squared. No, you don't, you have me and I have a gun and it was a compliment, you tell me all the time how you can take care of yourself."

"But I could take better care of myself if I had a gun."

He rolled his eyes, "Bones, Cullen would never let me issue you a gun, not after what happened the last time. You're just going to have to wait until he ever gets over it, or retires, which ever comes first." He was laughing again.

They both began working quickly, his style fast and loose, hers controlled and efficient. In the comfortable silence he looked up at her, sitting straight, focused on the task, her hair loose around her face, her robe open down to the creamy rise of her cleavage and those amazing fingers working over the vegetables as though this were a job of great importance. Each move of her hands was so graceful, so delicate in it's touch that every gesture appeared to him as a small caress. He recalled again those words Angela said to him so long ago, _"if she has that much intensity over a pile of bones imagine what it would do to your world to have that focus turned on you." _Here he was, no longer circling her world, but a part of it and he had to admit, he had greatly underestimated how it would feel to be here. She didn't just focus on him, she enveloped him, seeped into his pores, his thoughts and even though he tried to deny it, his heart. He had never before been so compelled by anyone, just to bask in her presence soothed him in a way he felt inept to define.

She looked up, catching his gaze, slightly surprised by all the emotion stirring there. "Hey, you stopped working, mine are done." She pushed the bowl toward him and he added his to hers and gave it a shake, enjoying the small thought of mixing their work. He pulled the shells out of the oven and set them on the stovetop. Pouring the vegetables in the pan with the chicken and gravy, he stirred and covered them. She suddenly put it together, "Booth are you making home made chicken pot pies?" Her eyes were round.

"Yeah, is that okay, because you look surprised?"

"I love chicken pot pie and I rarely find it home made. You just whipped it up, made it seem so simple. I always thought it was a difficult dish and you made it seem so easy."

"It _is_ an easy dish, once you've done it a few times it comes together. What was you're favorite dish when you were a child?"

"Well, chicken pot pie or the mini meatloaf special, which was a dish my mother made. We were all so fussy about what we wouldn't eat that my mother would mix the basic recipe and then custom make us each a mini meatloaf that was to our liking. Russ was no onion, my dad's was heavy green pepper and no mushroom and mine was no green pepper and heavy tomato sauce. It's funny, it was a small thing but we would all be so excited to get our personalized plates. What was your favorite food?"

"Home made baked macaroni and cheese, my mom made it with Colby cheese, the brown crust was the best part. I have her recipe and I've made it for Parker."

"Did you love Rebecca?" She blushed a little at the question because she had been wanting to ask it for too long.

His head jerked and at first he was startled but it made sense that she would want to know what happened. "I thought I loved Rebecca when I was dating her and in truth I probably did, but I was never in love with her. We got along well back then, had fun and were comfortable together but there was something missing. I imagine it was similar to what was between you and David except of course Rebecca then found out she was pregnant. At first I was upset but I asked her to marry me because I knew it was the right thing to do. She was smart enough to say no and I was angry at the time because I thought she was being selfish but it would have been worse for Parker to be in a house with two people that didn't love each other. What would that have taught him about relationships? I can see now he is better off having us both in his life and healthy."

"How did you know she wasn't the one for you?"

"Back then I was, how should I put this, more about the activities of a relationship than I was about being a couple." Seeing the confusion on her face, he elaborated. "The sex, Bones. I was more interested in the sex than I was in the long term relationship but that was six years ago and I learned that you can have physically gratifying sex with any partner but something more happens when you actually connect."

"So what kind of sex are we having?" It was out of her mouth before she could stop it.

A flash of pain shot through him, that she would have to ask but he quickly realized that she was just trying to be sure, fighting her own demons.

"I don't know." He answered honestly, his palms were sweating.

"What do you mean you don't know?" She jumped in, and he could see her shoulders tense, her spine straighten and her lip tighten. He realized his mistake immediately.

"Temperance, I have never had sex like this before, never felt like this before, I have no point of reference for this."

"Neither do I." She loved hearing him say her name and she had learned that he only did so when he wanted to be sure she was paying attention. A small smile appeared and he noticed her posture had softened back into a relaxed state.

He began cleaning up the items he no longer needed. He stirred his pot on the stove and tipped his head back, finishing off his beer. He took the shells and filled them, set the pan in the sink and quickly worked the remaining pieces of dough over the top of each dish. He placed them in the oven, set the timer and turned to her. "Done, just like that." He dusted his hands together in a dramatic flair, smiling triumphantly. "Do you want more wine?"

"Yes, but I can get it, I'm just sitting here." She rose and went to the fridge, she had just pulled the cork and as she turned around he was directly behind her. Facing him, she smiled, "remember, no touching." He stepped his feet apart and placed a hand on each side of her, closing her in without contact.

"I'm not touching you." She moved quickly to his left, attempting to duck under his arm but his arm snapped into place in front of her. A knowing smile crept across his face. He reached down and carefully untied her robe, dropping the belt and moving the material slowly away from her skin. He looked down, licking his lips.

"Take a drink," he nodded toward the bottle as he spoke. She turned her head and brought the bottle to her lips. Her tongue snuck out and circled the rim, her lips wrapped around it and she slid them down the neck of it as she watched his eyes grow dark, a guttural sound rumbling from his chest. She eased the rim back to her lips, letting the tart dryness slide down her throat.

He took the bottle from her hand, the condensation gathering on the bottom already threatening to drip. He held it over her body, letting the drop strike her breast and run down the front of her. She shifted slightly and pressed her self against the door as he touched the cool glass to the side of her breast, rolling it across her nipple. Her breath hitched as her breast drew tightly against the cold. The fine hair on her skin rose, he moved his mouth down over her nipple, parting his lips and blowing his hot breath over her, the bottle moving to the other breast. She closed her eyes against the onslaught of sensations: steamy hot breath, frigid smooth glass, icy wet trailing down her belly, the musky scent of him, the tangy sweet cold of the wine and the molten heat churning between her thighs. Her hands went up and hovered above him trembling in the air, she clenched her fists trying to steady herself, trying to hold on to a shred of control.

"Temperance," in the barely there utterance of her name he shattered her hold on herself. Her arms grabbed him and pulled him against her, her hand moving to his hair, pulling it into her fist and guiding his lips to her mouth with desperate ugency.

He reached out and blindly set the bottle down, her naked body grinding against him, she was moaning into him. His erection strained against his jeans, throbbing. He wanted nothing more than to feel her thighs fold around him, her body opening, urging him into her burning depths. He pushed a hand between them and sank his fingers into her, her silky walls flaring at his touch. She pushed into him and he slipped his hand out of her, lifting his head he released her, stepping away. It wasn't until he turned that she realized the oven timer was ringing through the room.

He grabbed the pot holder, groaning in frustration and removed the pies from the oven, placing one on each of their plates. His hair was sticking up and the bulge in his jeans made his movements careful. She stood where he left her, the look of shock still etched on her face, her robe and hair hanging loosely around her, her lips and breast swollen from the bruising activity and arousal. She closed her robe, pulling in a deep breath, trying to purge herself of the need.

"Dinner is served." He smiled sympathetically at her, gesturing toward her seat. She lifted the bottle of wine from the counter, walked over and sat down near him, pouring the rest into her glass. "Remember, you're the one who said you needed to eat before there was any more chanting."

"I am starving, in so many ways…" She was grinning at him as she broke the crust and steam wafted from her dish. They both enthusiastically began to eat.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: not mine, and yet I can do with them as I please…

**This chapter is rated a strong (but very tasteful) M, please be warned of sexually explicit material.**

Authors note: There will be one more M chapter because they are, after all, in that 'I can't keep my hands off you stage' and I love that part but their relationship will continue to develop on other areas as well…I just love this part.

I look forward to your reviews with as much anticipation as you look forward to my next chapter…

The meal was wonderful and once again they were doing dishes, enjoying the simple domestic rhythm between them.

"I'm too full, I should have stopped eating but it just tasted so wonderful, if you continue cooking I'm going to get fat." She was drying the last of the pans and placed it in the cupboard before hanging the towel to dry. She noticed the implication of her own words, that he would be here and they would be deciding things like dinner plans and whether or not to cook or eat out. When did this change in thinking happen in her brain?

"Bones do you have yoga and exercise mats?"

She looked at him like he was crazy, "yes, why, do you want to exercise now?" She was utterly confused.

Ignoring her confusion for the moment he continued, "how many of each do you have?"

"I have two yoga mats and four of the exercise mats."

"Great, can you get me both yoga mats and two of the exercise mats and a sheet, please." He was grinning at her, enjoying himself. When she left the room he took everything off the long wooden coffee table and chuckling, checked it for sturdiness. She came back in the room and watched him as he alternated the yoga mats and exercise mats on the top of the coffee table before covering them with the sheet. It was at that moment she realized he had just created a massage table and had requested the yoga mats so that their rubbery surface would keep the layers from sliding. It was actually rather ingenious.

"Now I need oil and a towel and I think we'll be all set." His eyes were twinkling and her stomach turned over slowly in response to his stare. She went in search of the items he requested and once again he got busy as soon as she left the room. He placed a pitcher of ice water and two glasses on the end table, lit three candles in the room and turned off the remaining lights. Deciding it was still a little too dim he lit a fourth candle before smiling in satisfaction.

Her voice surprised him, "here you go." She was nervous and she couldn't manage to figure out why. Her body began to tingle in anticipation as she glanced around the room; it looked very ceremonial to her, as though some ancient sacred ritual was to be preformed here.

Booth was looking at the oil, pure sesame, no additives, no scent, light and easily absorbed. He smiled because it was so like her to choose something so organically pure.

He set the items on the floor and came over to her, "never let it be said that I'm a bad loser." He was untying her robe as he spoke, slipping it off her shoulders and letting it slide to the floor. She stood before him, the candle light flickering over her milky skin and he had the urge to follow the dancing lights across her body with his tongue. Her beauty immobilized him, sent him tumbling into a mental trance of desire and disbelief. He had suppressed his want of her for so long that he was afraid that any moment he would open his eyes and be in his own bed alone because it had all been a dream. He raked his gaze slowly over her, appreciating every curve on every inch of her.

"Booth, I hope this elaborate setting is more than a stage where you're just going to stare at me." Her voice was soft with laughter; she was amused by his distraction. She closed the two steps between them and popped the button on his jeans, slowly pulling the zipper down.

"Bones, what are you doing?"

"If I have to be naked to receive this massage, you have to be naked to give it. You know we are still functioning under that Quid Pro Quo ruling, a fair exchange, equality in all things." She pushed his clothing to the floor and ran her hands up the sides of his muscled legs, pausing to place a kiss on the top of his penis as she ascended. He gasped in surprise as the jolt of arousal pushed him to his full length. His erection pressed firmly against her as he pulled her to him and kissed her, craving the still new taste of her. He stopped after one kiss, taking her hand and leading her to the table, knowing if he didn't slow things down now there would be no massage.

She lay face down on the table, he watched her wiggle around, finding a position that was comfortable, head to the side, arms down next to her. He took a deep breath, blowing it out slowly. He knelt down next to the table, filled his palm with oil and rubbed his hands together to warm it. He dropped his hands to her shoulders and sank them into her flesh, starting with the muscles at her neck. She moaned softly and his body ached in response. His strong hands stroked her, warming, kneading, working the tension out of each muscle. She verbally responded to his touch with small noises of contentment and pleasure. He moved slowly over her skin, feeling her shoulder blades rise against his palm, her slender ribs pass under each of his fingers, his hands coming together at her small waist. He mentally noted every freckle and scar, mapping every inch of her flesh as he moved over her.

She sighed deeply, unable to remember the last time she had a massage. Booth's hands moved onto her shoulders and neck, she could feel the heat pouring out of his palms, his fingers sinking into her muscles and soothing the tightness from them. She felt him following the line of her back, the touch more of a caress, with his fingers splayed his hands seemed almost to wrap around her. She pictured him with her eyes closed and the speed and rhythm of his stroke changed against her, reminiscent of his work with the dough. He used his entire hand, pressing the knuckles into surface muscles to force the blood flow through the tension, working his strong fingers deep into the tissue and then smoothing the surface with his palm. Every cell in her body is responding to the warmth of his touch as though she is existing only because he is touching her. Once again she has that feeling of belonging, being included in some greater picture of the world.

Her skin tingled and she realized he had lightened his touch, his hands now grazing the sides of her breasts. The mood was changing, his hands traveling off of her back and down over the round muscles of her ass. Her body was waking in response to the subtle message being scripted by his fingers, lifting slightly into his touch. He drags his fingertips down the back of her thighs, grazing a pattern on the sensitive skin behind her knee. He let the rise of her calf fill his palm and resisted the urge to lean down and bite into the alluring flesh. He moved to her feet, fingers tracing their lines, gently rubbing the soft pads, curling his fist against the arch, molding his hands around them. She wiggled her toes against his fingers and he smiled, feeling as though she had sent him a secret message from deep inside her head where she was now resting.

Temperance was in a state of relaxation that was completely foreign to her, even her thoughts were moving slowly as though floating somewhere under water. She could hear herself moaning and whimpering as he touched her but it was her body responding, not her brain. She felt him move over her, his penis softly striking her side as he stretched across her causing an answering throb from between her legs. She wanted to curl up inside this moment and feel it around her forever, feel his hands on her forever. In the recesses of her mind an alarm rang steadily triggered by the thoughts of wanting, of forever, of the singular realization that she would do anything he asked of her. Can you give yourself completely to another person and still hold on to who you are? The question moved through her, turning over and at that moment she felt his hands sliding up the back of her legs, sliding them slightly apart as his lips touched the base of her spine. She gasped in surprise, all her thoughts left drowning in desire.

He gently moved her legs apart, pressing his lips to her lower back he ran one hand higher up her thigh, letting his fingers feel the heat of her, whispering across the edge of her lips. Her hips pushed toward him and he ran his tongue up the length of her back as his hand moved in soft circles over her cheeks and down her thighs, dropping between them, dipping into the satiny wetness, moving forward and gliding over her clitoris. She rocked back onto his hand, her loud groan filling the room. He removed his hand suddenly and her muscles clenched around the loss. He kissed her neck, moving to her ear, running his tongue around and down to the lobe.

She felt him move away from her and wondered where he could be going. She heard him softly say her name and realizing it came from behind her, she turned her head toward the sofa, opening her eyes. He was sitting there, his eyes smoky with lust, a grin tugging at his mouth as he crooked his finger in a silent plea for her to join him. A smile broke across her face as she rose, standing in front of him but as she moved to sit next to him he reached for her waist and lifted her onto his lap. He perched her on his knees and she drew her knees up comfortably on each side of him. The scent of their arousal swirled and rose between them.

He reached over and filled the glasses on the end table with water and handed her one. As she brought it to her lips she wondered when it had been put there and how she had not noticed it. She drank deeply from the glass, letting the water spill over her chin and run down the front of her, cooling her and melting him. He set his glass down and quickly moved his head to her breast, catching the line of water and tracing it back to her lips. She set her glass down as his head came up her neck and met him, lips parted and hungry for him. She moved to slide forward on his thighs, wanting to be closer, to be against him but his hands on her hips held her fast to the spot. Her arms went around his neck, her hand into his hair, pulling his head in, deepening the kiss and setting the flame between them burning. He lifted his head, panting lightly and placed his hands on her shoulders, gently sitting her upright.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

David pulled into the parking lot and sat for a moment. He had given the situation 24 hours and had decided he had spoken in haste. He had strong feelings for Tempe, he may even love her. He had thought a long time about their relationship and in the end felt that it was worth fighting for, after all, she had been dreaming and people couldn't control what happened in their sleep. He thought he could figure out a way to reduce her contact with the FBI, with Booth in particular. He was going to call a friend of his, a wealthy friend and ask that Tempe be assigned to certain in house tasks because he had a personal investment in the results and in exchange there would be a fund raising dinner that would donate to the Jeffersonian. It was a win/win situation and it would give them the time they needed to really be together without Booths constant interruption.

He reached in his pocket and pulled out the airline tickets he had purchased, hoping they would be able to launch their renewed relationship with a few days away. He had booked them into a nice hotel, with a Jacuzzi tub in each room hoping to be able to take her away and make love to her, begin again. They had everything in common, she was the perfect partner for him, she had been chosen for him out of millions of people, he just had to give them this chance.

He lifted the bouquet of flowers he brought in lieu of an apology and set out toward her door. He was walking with energy, a man full of intent and hope and was poised to knock when he heard something from the other side of her door.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

He slid his hands down the front of her, cupping her breasts and rolling the nipples firmly between his fingers. She cried out, throwing her head back and closing her eyes against the bolt that shot through her. She moved her hand down his smooth chest, reaching for his penis, which stood between them, erect and waiting. He grabbed her wrist and she looked at him, he gently shook his head no, not wanting to break the magical silence that enveloped them like a shroud. He placed her hand back on his shoulder and returned to her breasts, stroking the tender flesh and capturing the tight buds in his fingers once more. She was moaning as he dipped his head and took the tight tip into his mouth, sucking and flicking his tongue over the swollen crest of it. He moved his knees apart, opening her as her own legs spread. She felt the air breeze against her and smiled as she realized the advantages this seating arrangement gave him. She began rocking gently, her eyes having fallen closed again she didn't see his hand soaking in the glass next to them. His fingers were aching with the cold when he slid them between her legs and in one push, into her. Her eyes flew open and her hips jerked forward from the shock, his name tumbling from her lips. He began moving them, the cold so clearly defined within her molten depths that she was sharply aware of their most subtle movement. He stroked her walls, watching her intently, turning his wrist he moved deeper within her and curled his fingertips forward. She jerked her body and opened her vibrant green eyes, grabbing his arm to still him but he smiled, knowing he was exactly where he needed to be. He pressed lightly and began a small circle pattern deep inside her, amazed at how she felt, at how her entire body moved in response to him. Her fingers sank into his arm, a whimper coming from her lips and she rocked her hips firmly against him. Her thighs began to tremble as they fought against his in the urge to tighten, her juices soaking his hand, he increased his speed, fingers vibrating against the culmination of every nerve in her body. Her nails dug into his flesh and her words were hissed between small gasps.

"What the fuck are you doing to me?"

She felt his hot breath against her ear, " loving you."

"Seeley, please, please, finish it, I can't, oohhh fuck, _fuck_, _fuck_." Her voice faded into a small cry, smiling at having heard her chant this most obscene of words once again, he tipped her back slightly and pumped rapidly against her. She began yelling his name, her hand released his arm, pounding his chest as her legs locked and she rose up off his lap, arching into the air, her head going back and touching the mats behind her. Her walls clenched around his fingers, crushing them together, pulsing and sucking them in with each spasm that racked her frame. He held onto her, letting her body ride out the waves that washed through her.

He gently eased his fingers out of her, smiling at the small whimper of protest she gave in response. She was trying to catch her breath, settle herself, but her body was still twitching. She leaned forward, laying herself against his chest, his penis a hard line between them. She couldn't think, couldn't pull her thoughts into a coherent sequence. She felt his hand in her hair, soothing her, a slow steady motion that encouraged her body to ease its pace.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

It took him a moment to realize what he was hearing and once he did he couldn't move. He wanted to walk away, wanted to erase this day and move on with his life but he couldn't make his feet turn from the door and carry him home. She was moaning, loudly and groaning and sounding like he had never in his wildest fantasies imagined she would sound. Despite himself he felt his penis twitch painfully, she was getting louder and just as he thought he would be able to tear himself away he heard her climax, and she was yelling 'Seeley' in a tone of complete sexual abandonment. His hands curled tightly into fists, crushing the flowers in one and drawing blood in the palm of the other. The rage welled within him, burned through him. He walked slowly away from the door, a man barely in control. As he approached his car he noticed the black SUV and he heard something snap.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

She lifted her face to his, placing a light kiss on his lips. "Why is it we didn't do this sooner?"

He was chuckling, a deep rumbling within his chest. "Oh so you like this and _now_ you wish we had started it sooner? Well, I would say the first reason was the small problem of your boyfriend. Remember him?"

"It's hard for me to believe that was just yesterday, it feels like it was a long time ago. It feels, it feels…" She looked at him then, and his dark eyes softened as he smiled at her. "It feels like we've been together forever and at the same time it feels brand new. It's like the space paradox of infinity, but I can feel it." Her eyes were wide as though she had just made a connection, a discovery of great importance.

"The really important thing is that we found our way to this point." To accentuate his comment he leaned in and kissed her neck, sucking softly at the milky flesh.

"Had I known how well you were going to deliver on this massage, I wouldn't have let you win so often today." She was smiling, her watery blue eyes twinkling, knowing where his response would go. He started to laugh, a deep rumbling that she felt throughout her body as she lay against him.

"_Let me_ win, very funny. Temperance Brennan I am sure you have never _let_ any body beat you at anything in your entire life. I do however, have a proposition for you."

"Does it involve more of this? Because this, I like." Her voice dropped when she spoke the last two words and she felt his penis stir against her stomach, she was surprised by the gentle pulse in her own body and how easily he reacted to just the sound of her voice.

"Well, it could definitely lead to more of this. I will play you any game and the winner holds the right to have a favor done by the other person. Now if you want to use your favor to get another massage you can or if we are on a case and you want to use your favor to drive, you can do that also. You can spend each favor any way you want to but you have to win to earn them." He was using his teaching voice, probably the one he used to explain things to Parker.

"Who picks the games?"

"Loser of the last challenge picks the next game."

"I am going to love beating you." She was laughing, picturing all the ways she could apply these favors. "So, if I win I could get a gun?"

"Bones, giving you a gun is not a favor because it's not something I personally can do. What ever you ask, I have to be able to do, it's Cullen that will never let that permit go through." He shook his head in amazement at her relentless attempt to get her hands on another weapon.

"But if I win the next game you have to do whatever it is I decide, right?" He could feel her wheels turning and he had to admit it made him a little nervous, after all, her brain worked like no one he had ever met and there was no telling what she would come up with for him to do. He, on the other hand, already had several ideas that he couldn't wait to put into place.

"Right, and if I win you have to do whatever it is I decide. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes, we do. So, since you were the loser of the last game, what is it that you want to play next?" She felt him take a deep breath and once again the twitch of arousal stirred between them. She slid closer against him and rocked her hips, feeling him tighten in response.

"I think you have already started playing a game." His voice had thickened and his hands were roaming up and down her back. She turned her head slightly and began kissing his chest, taking in the dark nipple as she passed. Her hand caressed him, moving lightly over him and she trailed her mouth up to his neck, fastening it at the base of his jugular. She licked a trail up to his ear and in a voice husky with desire began to whisper to him.

"Oh, I'm definitely not playing a game now, as a matter of fact, I have never been more serious. I have the distinct feeling that you and I have unfinished business."

The sound of her voice in his ear caused chills to run down his spine, his penis rising to fully erect. She was gently rubbing her pelvis up and down the length of him, he could feel her slick juices coating him. She made him ache, in his groin, in his chest and in his heart. He breathed deeply, the scent of their arousal thick in the air. She kissed him, grazing her tongue over his lips, sliding it into his mouth, moving aggressively against him now.

He felt her against him, everywhere, touching and kissing him, his body on fire, her touch scalding against him, waking every nerve. He moaned, marveling at how her whole body moved against him, every part of her reaching toward him. His hands moved to her breasts, kneading the soft flesh, rubbing his thumbs roughly over the tight peaks. A knife of desire moved though him and he knew he needed to feel her, the hot tight depths of her.

"Temperance, my God, I need to be inside you."

She reached between them, grasping the thickness of him and suddenly he stood up, lifting her by the waist and sinking deeply into her. She snapped her legs around him, whimpering at the sheer pleasure that came in waves as her walls stretched to receive him. He growled a rumbling sound from his chest and her muscles sucked down over him. He pushed into her, letting the weight of her sink down to his base. She wrapped herself tightly around him, aware of nothing but the feel of him.

He walked with her wound around him, reaching the bed and lying down with her as one. His thighs were charged with the need to stretch, to uncoil the urge for release. He began moving in long strokes, trying to maintain a slow pace, his body trembling he had to increase the pace. Looking into the depths of her ocean blue eyes, asking silently for permission to let him self go, she nodded her head and pulling her knees up began pumping against him. He met her pace and quickened it, holding her shoulders as her body absorbed the rapid force of him. She felt it begin in her limbs, a rolling tingle that intensified as it moved toward her center, tightening all her muscles and then snapping the tension, her entire body seizing around him. She cried out, her bowing body pushing up into him, clamping down on him and pulsing around him as he tensed and slammed into her, filling her, flooding her, at that moment merging with her. He was yelling her name, unable to tell where he ended and she began, unable to distinguish between how he felt to be in her and how it felt to have her around him, unsure of the existence of a line between his skin and hers. They were panting, limbs twitching from the shock, bodies slick from the heat of their rapid exertion. He moved off of her, smiling at her mew of disappointment as he moved out of her. He pulled her against him and smoothed the damp tendrils from her face.

He wanted to speak to her, thinking that he should ask if she wanted him to spend the night. After all, this was supposed to be a date and he had already been there since yesterday, even though he could not imagine tearing himself away from her, he felt he should ask. As he was contemplating his approach to the subject, he felt her breathing deepen beside him and realized she was sleeping. He tightened his grip on her, deciding he would talk to her in the morning he let the pleasant exhaustion of the day wash over him and sank peacefully to sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: As always they are not mine, and yet I still do with them as I please…

WARNING: **Sexually explicit content**

Temperance opened her eyes, blinking momentarily in the darkness. She could hear his heart in her ear, his breathing beneath her. She was lying on an angle on the bed, using him as a pillow, the comforter was on the floor and at some point he must have covered them with the sheet. A small part of her twinged with the impulse to get up and walk around, maybe do a little writing. As she lay for another moment she realized that she really didn't want to, she was still tired and the warmth and scent of Seeley beneath her was something she really had no desire to leave. It was more habit than anything that was triggering her thoughts to get up and go work. She stretched out her legs, feeling the ache run through her muscles, between the swimming and the sex, she was sore. She smiled to herself, the thought of walking through the Jeffersonian with her thighs still aching from being with him gave her a rush in the pit of her stomach. She searched herself for signs of panic and found only a flicker here and there. It felt good just to be with him like this and she sighed heavily. In the past she had cared about the men she slept with but sex with them was like good exercise, it made her feel good, satisfied her physically and it put a smile on her face but that was all. In the morning she always had awkward moments, she didn't really want anything emotionally from them and when they tried to offer it she ended up annoyed and wanting them to leave so she could go about her day. Every man she had ever had sex with was more attached to her than she was to them.

She had known there was good chemistry between Booth and herself but never imagined that the sex would be like this, actually she never imagined there was sex like this with anyone. It was so intense, her body responded to him in a way that was almost frightening and still somehow addicting. She cared for him more than anyone she had attempted to have a relationship with in the past, she started out as his friend and that made a big difference. Still, she knew something else was happening here, the feeling that welled up in her chest when he looked at her was powerful, there were moments she thought she might drowned in it. She just wasn't ready to think about it yet. She turned on her side and curled up against him; he turned in his sleep and curled up behind her. She pulled the arm that was beneath her against her, clasping his hand in hers. She was smiling softly and wondering how long she would she feel like she just could not get enough of him when she fell back to sleep.

Seeley opened his eyes, adjusting to the early morning light. He was immediately aware of her beside him. She was curled on her side, spooned up against him, his arm was underneath her and she was holding it against her chest. He lifted his head, folding the pillow to give him the elevation to see her face without disturbing her. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful; he smiled at the sight of her. The sliver of morning that cut through the drapes sliced across her shoulder, illuminating her skin. He pressed his lips softly to the glowing flesh, moving slowly into the cool shade at the turn of her neck. His free hand lay flat against her abdomen so even though she didn't open her eyes, he knew from the change in her breathing the moment she was awake. He was aware of her soft buttocks pressed against his belly, the back of her thigh against the top of his knee and her feet tucked against him. He began stroking his fingers across her abdomen and had moved his mouth along her neck to her ear when he heard her gasp.

She was drifting through consciousness, floating pleasantly in that twilight state between sleeping and waking. The first thought her brain formed was that there were warm lips moving across her neck, Seeley's lips, waking both her body and her brain at the same time. She stayed still and just followed the sensation, her body warmed, she felt his hand flat against her abdomen, fingers gently flexing. His lips moved to the base of her throat, his tongue licking softly before he began to suck tenderly, when he moved up to her ear she couldn't help but gasp.

She began kissing the knuckles on the hand she was holding, then turning it over she kissed the tip of each finger, sliding her tongue down his middle finger she sucked gently on his palm and smiled as she felt him harden behind her. His hand moved up and cupped her breast, his fingers moving over and around it deftly stroking without ever touching the tightening nipple. She squirmed, needing him to touch her with intent but his torture continued as he moved to her other breast. She was moaning softly, the ache spreading within her down to the pulse between her legs. She began to tremble as his hand hovered over her, his lips kissing up and down the tender line of her neck.

She drew his finger into her mouth, needing to connect with him, running her lips slowly down it, sucking firmly, humming and moaning. She heard him groan loudly in her ear, pressing against her. Suddenly he grasped her nipple, relentlessly rolling it between his fingertips, she cried out against his hand, her body snapping back into him, a throb swelling her clitoris. He stroked her thigh, urging her top leg forward and dipped his fingers into her fiery depths. She clamped her mouth around his finger, moving it in and out of her mouth as he matched her rhythm with his hand inside her. She stopped, and so did he, he felt her smile. She began again, and so did he, she heard his warm chuckle and suddenly she just wanted him, wanted to feel his lips on hers and feel him moving deep inside her. She removed his finger from her mouth and began to turn, disentangling herself from him, feeling him slip his hand from inside her as she turned. She pushed him back onto the bed, a woman filled with intent and vibrating with desire, a woman in need. She pushed his shoulders to the bed and climbed on top of him, straddling him.

"Hey, hey, what…"

She leaned over him, her breasts brushing against his chest, her face hovering above his and her eyes the deep blue of storming ocean waters. Her voice was a rough whisper when she spoke, "I'd like you to cooperate, but I'll get your handcuffs if I have to, you know I will."

She was smiling at him but he did not doubt the seriousness of her words.

"Not that I have any objection to the handcuffs, but I'll go the cooperation route this time." He barely finished the sentence when her lips descended on his, meeting his open mouth, capturing him. He closed his eyes in surrender as her tongue slipped past his lips, exploring as if it was the first time she had kissed him. His arms came around her, moving down the length of her muscled back, the urgency escalating quickly, he grasped her hips and ground himself up against her. Locking her gaze with his she sat up, pushing off her thighs and reaching between them she eased his penis just inside her, rocking slightly. He gasped and she dropped her weight, sliding her knees out as she went, plunging him into her and forcing the air back out of him in a loud groan. She tilted back and pushed down, making sure he was buried as deeply as he could be. He was looking at her, taking in the entire vision of her above him, radiating her hunger for him. He could hardly breathe.

She took his hands, bending his arms at the elbow she leaned forward and using his forearms for leverage she pushed up off him and then slowly back down. Her chest filled with aching, all her thoughts disintegrating in the heat of this moment leaving only the sensation of how he felt inside her.

"Temperance," her name rolled from him on a growl. She leaned in and brushed her nipples over his chest, kissing him and continuing her agonizing rise and fall above him. Moaning softly herself she rode him, following the rhythm of her own desire and taking him with her. She started to increase her speed as the pressure coiled up inside her, moving faster, and faster, until she felt him stiffen slightly beneath her and knew they were close. She was lost to the feeling, the sweet ache tightening in her walls as she felt him fill her with each stroke. His face etched with the tangled look of agony and pleasure, he started rocking up to meet her. He couldn't take it any more, he released her hands, and she dropped them to his chest as he grasped her hips and slammed himself into her, again, again, again, again, again…he heard her crying out his name, felt her body lock around him, milking him as he came, the muscles clenching and unclenching in waves of spasms within her. He was yelling an incoherent sound of release, rolling it from his chest. He continued to pump against her, his body emptying, the impulse still flexing within him. She lay down on him, trembling hard, her arms around him, her legs still squeezing his sides. She couldn't stop shaking, and couldn't curl against him tightly enough. There were tears slipping from her eyes and a swell of emotion pressing in her chest, she sucked in short breaths trying to calm down and regain control, but it was slipping away from her, she had the strange sensation that she was falling.

He tightened his arms around her, knowing these big feelings were new to her but not knowing what else to do for her. He tipped his head down toward her and began to coo to her softly, "ssshhhhh, it's alright, I've got you. I'm right here, ssshhhhh now, try to take a deep breath, come on, it's okay, just let yourself feel it, let it go, don't try to hold it in Temperance. Sssshhhhh, come on, I know it's overwhelming but it's okay…" He began stroking her back, feeling her start to ease in his embrace, his own chest slowing it's rhythm against her. He lifted her hair away from her neck, letting the air cool and calm her, touching her gently, waiting for her to find herself again.

"Seeley." Her voice was barely there.

"I'm right here, I'll always be right here."

A small smile flashed across her face as he spoke. "Will it always feel this way?"

"You have a lot going on right now, and you've had very emotional issues to deal with so I think some of this is just how you're learning to feel things. Finding your mother, seeing your brother, finding out your father is still alive, some difficult cases at work and now us, that's a whole lifetime of emotions bubbling to the surface. The feelings that belong to us, I hope those always feel this way, but I think you'll work through the rest and find some peace with many of the things that happened in your past. When you have so much emotionally stored away it only takes one thing to bring it all pouring out, but that will get easier, less intense as time goes on. I have seen men in the service go through horrible events without batting an eye. They come home, hug their crying child and suddenly lose it as though a dam has broken and they just can't stop it." She had calmed down, and said nothing as he spoke; just lay listening intently to him. "Do you understand what I mean?" He wanted to be careful, terrified that she would be so afraid of how she felt that she would try to shut back down and this amazing uninhibited woman that she had become would be lost to him. He winced at the pain of the thought.

"I think I do." Her voice was stronger now.

"The good news is that you don't have to go through it alone and the feelings we have for one another will only get stronger. We don't have to get it all figured out in one weekend. Let's just take it one day at a time." He felt her gently turn her head and kiss his chest.

"Thank you."

He kissed the top of her head. "How about we shower and then do something about breakfast? Knowing you, I'm sure you're starving by now." He felt her smile against him. She lifted her head, bringing the brilliant blue of her gaze up to his face, she kissed him delicately on the lips. She peeled herself away from him, gasping as he slid out of her, she climbed into a sitting position on the side of the bed. She felt exposed, more naked than her state of undress implied, vulnerable and she wanted him near her. She mentally recoiled at the thought of needing someone and then recalled Angela's words about how sometimes needing someone can be a sign of strength instead of weakness. Although she didn't totally understand the concept it eased her flash of anxiety.

"We're going out to breakfast, I feel too guilty letting you cook all the time and besides, I know just the place. Come on." She tugged at his hand and stood, walking in all her naked glory to the bathroom. He scrambled to catch up with her, not questioning the silent invitation for him to join her in the shower.

The hot water felt like a gift against her, relaxing her body, the warmth seeping into her tired muscles. Seeley was equally appreciative, standing behind her letting the spray rain down on them for a few moments before moving. He reached for her shampoo, and after filling his hand, gently began to massage it into her hair. He heard her hum in appreciation although she was still compelled to comment.

"I can do that, you know." He laughed at her attempt, knowing that this morning she just didn't want to be alone, didn't trust herself to be alone.

"I know you can, but that doesn't mean you always have to, now and then I can do it for you just because I want to."

She was laughing, "I actually understood that." She was feeling more like herself, his hands in her hair were a luxury she was actually enjoying immensely. Thinking back she realized that only her mother and the shampoo girl at the hair salon had ever washed her hair. It was relaxing, soothing the way his fingers massaged across her scalp, the tension running off her with the shampoo, swirling around their feet and slipping away down the drain.

They moved slowly, sponging one another, soaping and rinsing and touching, leisurely moving over each others body. His penis moved in her hand as she glided the sponge over it and she grinned, wagging her index finger at it and whispering, "breakfast first." He burst out laughing and she looked up at him, blushing slightly.

"You don't think I can listen to my gut but here you are whispering to my penis? Very interesting."

"Well you can't blame me; it has demonstrated the possibility that it has a mind of its own." She was laughing now too and it felt so good to her, actually she noted she felt better than she had in as long as she could remember. They did a final rinse and stepped out, toweling off, brushing their teeth, dressing and working through their individual routines with comfort and ease.

She was putting her shoes on when he came up to her, looking suddenly uncomfortable.

"I'm not really sure how to do this, so I'm just going to ask. Do you want me to leave?" Her shocked expression caused him to continue rapidly. "No, I don't mean it like that, I just mean that I'm going to need clothes and I know this was supposed to be a date that started two days ago and I know you are used to having your own space on the week end and there must be things you need to do or are at least used to doing and I don't want to make assumptions but the truth is that I don't really want to go either so I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be doing but I'm trying to be honest because we said we would communicate with each other." He drew a deep breath, feeling foolish at his outpouring and yet relieved that it had been said. This communicating thing was going to be a little harder than he anticipated.

She still looked surprised but was at least smiling now, "and you tell me _I'm_ the one that needs to learn to just relax?"

He chuckled; she busted him with his own words. Life with her would certainly never be boring.

She took his hand, "how about we talk about it over breakfast?" They walked to the kitchen and she reached for her keys when she heard him from behind her.

"I'll drive."

"I can drive Booth."

"I know you can but you don't have any game credits yet so you can't just decide to drive."

"You don't have any either."

"I'll tell you what, I'll drive to breakfast and then I'll teach you a very quick game called Rock-Paper-Scissors that children have used for hundreds of years to objectively settle disputes. You're going to like it. Deal?" He pulled her against him and her arms curled around his neck as he took a moment to kiss her, lingering as the passion crept upon them, he finally lifted his head. "If we keep this up you're going to have to talk to my penis again." She swatted him on the arm and placed a quick peck on his lips before breaking his grasp. She reached for the front of him then, pulling at the waist of his jeans.

"Well, lets undo these,…" Her eyes were shining, challenging him.

He grabbed her wrists, "okay, okay, enough, let's go get breakfast."

She couldn't suppress the laughter, "okay and I'll let you drive but you have to show me this Stone and Scissors game."

"It's Rock-Paper-Scissors, Bones." She rolled her eyes, shaking her head at him and picking up her bag she headed for the front door.

They strolled out into the parking lot, looking up at about the same time.

"Booth, is that your…"

"What the hell happened?" He flipped open his phone, calling headquarters and explaining that he was looking at his vehicle and someone had done their best to destroy it. As he gave the address he approached the SUV, carefully moving around it, trying not to destroy evidence while they waited for the team to arrive.

"Bones, lets sit in your car and wait, I'd prefer not to be out in the open in case whoever did this is still hanging around." She dug out her key and went and sat in her car, Booth suddenly on alert, looking carefully around, checking windows and rooftops.

"Booth, who would have done this?" There was a slight edge of fear in her voice as they sat staring at the truck.

"Well it had to happen somewhere between last night when we got home and this morning. I don't know for sure if it's random or not, but from the extent of the damage and the rage it would have taken to inflict it, I'm guessing it's personal. This doesn't look like some gang boys out having fun and nothing has been stripped from it so robbery was not the primary motive. My question is, if they were targeting me, what did they want and how did they know I was here unless they followed me here at some point? If they were targeting you then wouldn't they have attacked your vehicle? I have no idea if it's someone from an old case or someone we haven't dealt with at all yet. I really don't know what to think so I'm hoping they left something behind."

Temperance could feel her heart hammering in her chest. She couldn't take her eyes from the vehicle, studying it much the same way she would a new set of bones. All the windows had been smashed out, the head lights had been shattered and the bumpers hit with such force they were on the ground. The body had been dented and caved in from being struck with something hard and heavy, judging from the missing paint she would guess it was metal. The doors had been opened and the window framework pounded into a twisted mess, the tires were shredded, the side view mirrors had been beaten off and were also on the ground.

"Whoever did this was here for a bit of time, in a rage, beating this vehicle into scrap. Why didn't anyone hear or see this happen and if they did, why didn't they report it?"

Booth shook his head, "maybe it was the middle of the night and no one happened through the lot. At that time of night only tenants of your complex would be back here, it's off the main road, behind the building, I suppose it's possible there was just no one around."

"Do you think this was all done by one person?"

"There's no way to tell until we get to really look at it, check out the blows, look for footprints, fingerprints and fibers and hope something comes up. The forensics team will be all over it. We should be prepared, there are going to be a lot of questions."

She froze for a moment and he reached over and took her hand. "Like what?"

"Well it will be standard procedure. They will want to know who else's fingerprints could be on the vehicle, where we have been in the last couple of days, how long the vehicle was parked here, whether we have seen anyone suspicious hanging around, whether we thought we heard any commotion last night and what our recent cases have involved. That's just the beginning, they need to get the big picture of the last few days, you've seen me do it." She was squeezing a little tighter now.

"Are they going to separate us? It's not like we're suspects." He could see her visibly tensing.

"I'll ask them not to, tell them we were on our way out and see if they can't hurry it along. Maybe we can just answer some questions here and then if there's a problem we can go by headquarters tomorrow. If they talk to us together, please, let me do the majority of the answering. Before you protest, it's just to keep it simple and I have an idea of the types of things they are trying to find out." She nodded, watching as two black vehicles pulled into the lot. They got out of the car and walked over to the 4 men that had exited the two vehicles. Three of them headed over to the destroyed vehicle carrying field kits and a tall blond man approached them. He extended his hand and Booth shook it, "I'm agent Seeley Booth and this is Dr. Temperance Brennan."

"I'm agent George Fischer, I'm sure you know the drill. We're going to need some back ground information on this situation. We'll start with the obvious question, do you have any idea who might have done this?"

"No, there are obviously people out there from cases we have worked that might have less than favorable opinions of us, but not anything recent and no one really jumps out at me from the past."

"When was the last time you drove the vehicle?"

Temperance watched the two men interact. George Fischer was older than Booth, tall and lanky, with dirty blond short hair and a face with the ruddy skin and early lines of a man that worked too hard and worried too much. He jotted down notes as Booth answered his questions, nodding attentively. Her eyes moved to Seeley, he was in work mode, his shoulders square, arms folded loosely over his chest. He looked relaxed and confident, talking easily and sometimes gesturing with his hands. He was being honest without divulging any details, protecting their relationship, occasionally asking questions of his own.

"Well as I'm sure you know the first problem will be determining if this was personal or random." He sighed heavily, turning to Temperance as she spoke for the first time.

"Mr. Fischer, wouldn't it be logical to conclude that given the amount of damage and the rage it would have taken to inflict it, this was definitely personal?"

"We will begin by looking at all the possibilities, I assure you and hopefully in their rage they left something behind to give us some clue. In the meantime, I have a signed requisition for agent Booth to be issued another car but that won't be until tomorrow morning. It won't be an SUV, they want you in something a little less obvious. I would lay low for a couple of days until the forensics reports come back just to be safe, because there was no direct threat to your lives we aren't going to put you in a safe house but I would strongly advise a change in your regular routine. Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan, I'll be in touch with you tomorrow, oh and agent Booth your personal belongings from the vehicle will be delivered to headquarters some time tomorrow afternoon." He was nodding at them and shook both their hands before going to join the men still working on the SUV.

"Come on Bones, I guess you do get to drive after all. Let's go to breakfast and strategize." As they were getting in the car the tow truck entered the lot to pick up the truck. She drove, heading onto the freeway and out to the edge of the city.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: They are not mine, and still, I continue to do with them as I please…

**Warning: M rated chapter for sexually explicit scenes **

Authors note: I hope the lack of reviews is due to the time of year and not the story content, I don't want to take it personally but if you are following the story, please let me know you're out there. This is not about requesting complimentary reviews, as a writer I just need to know there is an audience for my work. If the story is just not raising any interest, I will move on to another. As always, thanks for reading. Jaed.

After ten minutes of silence he reached over and placed his hand on her leg, squeezing gently. She pulled off the freeway and into the parking lot of a truck stop.

There were a million thoughts crashing through her head, at this point there was no way to reduce the list of possible suspects. It could be anybody, with any kind of motive from anonymous to very personal. She felt his hand on her chin, turning her face toward him. His eyes were soft and warm and his voice was like a touch on her that no one could see.

"Temperance, this is going to be okay. It was only a truck, not even mine really, it could just be a person with a grudge against the FBI, a fanatic. You know, a Hodgins type guy gone crazy." She smiled at that, feeling better with the scenario that this was not aimed at Booth. His thumb gently stroked her cheek before sliding back to her neck and pulling her into a reassuring kiss. "By the way, why are we at a truck stop?"

She smiled brightly, glad to shift the focus back onto their day, realizing how annoyed she had been by the interruption of their time together.

"This is where we're having breakfast." She announced it proudly, taking in his questioning look. "There is a restaurant in the back, family owned, everything is home made and served in trucker sized proportions."

"You never cease to amaze me. If I had been give twenty guesses to figure out where you were taking me for breakfast this morning, I still would never have said the local truck stop." He was grinning and shaking his head gently, marveling at this woman he thought he knew.

Once inside they were seated in a booth at the window when a large woman came marching over, grey hair braided down her back, her thick hands wringing through a towel as she approached.

"Well Doc, how are you and where the hell have you been? We haven't seen you in a blue moon. You certainly look good." Much to Booths surprise the woman leaned down and wrapped Temperance in her ample arms for a hug, which was returned just as enthusiastically.

"Hello Mable, it's good to see you. As usual, I've been working too much and it's this gentleman that is to blame. Mable, this is agent Seeley Booth. Seeley this is Mable Harper." Mable turned and shook his hand with a strong confident grip.

"Well pleased to meet you, agent Seeley Booth, you certainly are easy on the eyes." Seeley could feel himself turning red, but before he could respond, she continued. "Booth, wait a minute, this must be _the_ Booth." She was smiling broadly, glancing over to Bones for confirmation, who gave a single nod. "Well, well, well, enough said. How about I hook you both up with the house special?"

"You know how I like mine Mable, make his the standard issue. How have you and Joe been?"

"We're as happy as pigs in shit. Business has been hoppin' and everyone is healthy. What more could we ask for? Danny will be upset that he missed you so you'll have to promise to come back by when he's here. He looks so good you won't know him."

"I promise, we'll make a point of it."

"Let me get your breakfast goin' before you starve to death socializin' with me. It was nice to meet you agent Booth."

"Please, call me Seeley and it was nice to meet you too." It was the first time he had the chance to speak. He had been so intrigued by the relationship between the women that he had just been staring.

"Coffee will be right up Doc and for the record, you were right about him." She nodded toward Seeley and walked away from the table. When Temperance looked up at him he was staring at her, eyebrow raised in question.

"What Booth?"

"You were right about what? And how does Mable know who I am?" He was trying to look serious but the smile was giving him away.

"I met Mable and Joe years ago. They had an older son that died and I was involved in the case. The testing we did revealed that a rare genetic abnormality of the heart had been a contributing factor in the cause of death for Joe junior, and it also affected her surviving son, Danny. We were able to get him the preventative help he needed and arranged for heart surgery when he got older so he's going to be fine. It was one of my first cases and Mable and Joe were very involved so I got to know them very well. Having met Mable you can see how she would have made herself hard to ignore. I've always stopped in and checked on them, Danny e-mails me now and then to let me know how he's doing and to remind me if it's been too long since I've visited."

"Friends Bones, they're called friends. She certainly seems to care about you."

"They're like your military friends, we went through a difficult time together and we still keep in touch but they aren't people I see all the time. Still, when we get together it feels like no time at all has gone by since the last time." She was smiling softly, thinking it through even as she explained it to him.

"You still haven't explained how she knows me and what she was referring to when she said you were right." Mable stopped by and delivered their coffee, letting them know their food would be right up.

"I may have mentioned you to her once or twice, we were working on cases after all and you are my partner. Besides, if I tell you anything I said that was good your head won't fit back in the car." Her cheeks were turning pink and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"So there was good stuff, this is progress. What kind of good stuff and for how long have you been telling her these wonderful things about me?" He had the look, the Cheshire cat grin and sexy eyed look.

Mable brought the food to the table and Booth paused, he had never in his life seen such big portions, there were four eggs, a mountain of hash browns, at least a half pound of crisp bacon, a slab of ham the size of a small plate and toast made from homemade bread that was over an inch thick. Temperance's plate had fruit instead of ham but was otherwise the same as his.

Mable looked from one smiling face to the other, "there's enough heat between you two to have scrambled eggs right here at the table. Enjoy your breakfast." Shaking her head and chuckling to herself, she walked away.

"When you said trucker sized proportions you weren't kidding." His eyes were huge. She was laughing, he suddenly had that look of wonderment that reminded her of Parker. They both began eating, hunger getting the better of them, conversations all set aside. After a few moments Temperance broke the silence.

"When the FBI says we should 'lay low', what exactly does that mean?"

"Well, I've been thinking about that and maybe we should go stay in a hotel for a few days, just to be on the safe side. We'll stop back by each of our places and grab what we need, make sure we're not being followed and just go check in somewhere under different names. It would give us a little space to figure out what's happening without having to worry about being caught by surprise. After all, we have no idea who this is or what their intentions are and it will only take a day or two for the forensics results to start coming back. If George finds out anything before then he can always reach me on my cell phone. Just as a precaution, and besides it could be fun." His eyes were sparkling as he finished.

"Can I still go into work?"

"Yes but lets limit your activity outside the Jeffersonian, no bone retrieval in the field for at least a few days."

"And this fun part, how would that work?" She had let a wicked smile creep across her face. His eyes dropped, following her neck down to her cleavage, where it lingered before slowly coming back to her. She could feel herself growing warm under the heat of his gaze, her breasts growing heavy.

"Well, the fun part can work almost anywhere, against the back of the door, against that cold tile in the shower, over the dresser, or those little round tables they always put in hotel rooms, in the tub, on the floor, in the chair or any number of ways in the actual bed. Of course that's just inside the room itself, would you like me to continue, maybe give you more details?" She was blushing deeply now and he had slipped his hand across the table and was running his finger over her wrist where her pulse was franticly beating just below the surface.

"I think I'll wait for the hands on demonstration, is that a service of the hotel also?" Her voice had dropped slightly, her eyes were shining.

"It's a service, but not of the hotel."

"Does this mean we'll be sharing a room?"

There is a flash of doubt across his face, "it does solve the question of what we were going to do for the next couple of days. It gives us more time together and a reason that the squints won't question as to why we're together. As for sharing a room, we'll be under an assumed name at sign in so no one will know and since it's not covered by the FBI, we're saving money." He paused, "unless you don't want to share a room, then I'll book two and you can have your own." He was a little nervous, despite the fact they were playing there were underlying issues here of which he was all too aware. His mind was on the fast track to the hotel room, immediately bombarded by images of her naked body but he knew that she could want to be alone, especially since she was feeling some stress. "I know we said we were going to talk about this so all kidding aside, you know I'll respect whatever it is you want to do."

How had the conversation progressed to something so serious so quickly? She was having a difficult time keeping up with him. She was impressed that he had taken into account that she might not be ready yet for anyone at work to know about the changes in their relationship. Wondering at the same time if he was also enjoying this time in which it was just the two of them and like her, was hesitant to include anyone else in their secret. She was aware that her history dictated that she would reach the point of wanting her own space and in fact it had happened long before now in her previous relationships, but so far she had not felt the urge to hide from Booth. Maybe because they already knew each other so well or because he always accepted her for who she was so she didn't feel the exhaustion and anxiety of trying to maintain a social front. She glanced at him, having been lost in her own thoughts and there he was, patiently waiting for her to work her way through how she felt, his brown eyes soft with compassion.

She smiled softly, deciding she would deal with the desire to be alone when it came to her and until then she would allow herself to just enjoy his company. "Get us one room Seeley." She watched him visibly relax and had to laugh, he was as nervous about them as she was, it made her feel surprisingly better.

"What convinced you, the safety?'

"No, it was that service you mentioned with the hands on demonstration." His penis lurched in response to her and he jumped slightly, shifting his position to try and cover himself.

The lust was written all over her now, in her darkening eyes, her pouting lip, her nipples hardening to the point of visibility beneath her shirt and her breathing was shallow. "So, where are we going to stay?"

"I'll pick somewhere."

"Why can't I pick the place?"

"Bones, just let me make the decision."

"Why?"

"You know this is where that game I wanted to teach you comes in handy. I'm going to show you how it works and then we'll play, the winner of two out of three gets to pick the hotel. Agreed?" She eyed him suspiciously but nodded in agreement. Booth took the next few minutes to explain the three symbols to her and how no matter which one you chose; there was one that could beat you and one that you could beat. She caught on fast, understanding the logic and balance in the game, liking the immediate gratification of a solution but questioning his request that she stare into his eyes as they played because he felt he could read her next move as she was looking at him.

As Mable approached the table she saw them engaging in the age old problem solving game.

"I see you two are using advanced strategies to solve world issues. How about some boxes for those leftovers?" She was smiling, looking back and forth between them.

"Boxes would be great Mable, thanks. Booth was just showing me what a simple decision maker this game is and I have to agree, it's quick and objective." She was clearly enjoying herself and suddenly all their decisions were reduced to a five second gesture.

Booth was choosing the hotel, his win. Brennan was driving, her win. They were going to her place first while it was still early, his win. She was picking their new names, her win. She was not getting a gun, his win. He was paying for breakfast, his win. They laughed their way through the whole process and Seeley wondered why he had never thought of using this to settle an argument with her before, after all, it gave them an equal chance of winning. Having finalized their plans they finished up their coffee, paid the bill, hugged Mable and headed out the door.

Brennan felt surprisingly uncomfortable when they reached her parking lot, all signs of the SUV were completely gone as though it had never happened. She noticed Booths mood had shifted; he was looking around, scanning the streets and buildings even as they had approached. Once outside the car he slipped his arm protectively around her waist and moved her quickly into the building. Despite the porcelain blue skies and whispering breeze the moment felt suddenly ominous and Seeley paused, looking intently, unable to shake the feeling that they were being observed.

Once inside, Brennan moved quickly, feeling rushed by the anxiety, hoping it was just their own mix of paranoia and precaution stirring her feelings as opposed to actual immanent danger. She noticed that both of them were unusually quiet and that Booth had stopped to bolt the door after they were safely inside. She packed for a couple of days, including both work and casual clothes, grabbing her tank tops to sleep in and then stopping. She stood over her underwear drawer trying to pick what he would like, wanting to surprise him but so embarrassed by her own behavior that she was blushing. She didn't know what to make of herself, she had always dressed to make herself feel good, not because a man was going to see her although she was aware of the effect that sexy underwear had on men, she was shocked at how much she wanted him to like it. What was happening to her? She thought of how he would look at her, with that raw expression of desire and hunger and how that look made her feel. Even as a memory her body warmed in response. She went to the bottom of the drawer, opened a box and quickly stuffed the contents into her bag as though she was afraid someone would see her.

His voice from the other room made her jump, "Bones, are you making outfits or packing them?" Running a mental check list she thought through what she had and decided she was just about ready. She walked down the hall and deposited the bag at his feet.

"You don't want to rush me Booth, you know it doesn't make me move any faster, it just annoys me."

"Actually you do go a little faster when I rush you and as for being annoyed, you're beautiful when you're annoyed so I don't mind." When did he acquire the ability to so completely disarm her? He reached for her hand, softly kissing her palm. "I just want to get us out of here and on our way, okay?"

She softened immediately, "okay, just let me grab a few things from the bathroom and we can go." She packed her bathroom items in just a few moments and then her laptop and reference material just in case she was overwhelmed by the need to work. When she reappeared in the living room he was pacing. "Okay, I'm ready; let's go to your place now."

"Bones is there another way out of your building?" His look was serious, his brow creased in concentration.

"There is a maintenance entrance on the side of the building. Why?"

"Just in case we were watched when we came in, we're going to leave the lamp on so it will look like someone is home later and call a taxi to pick us up at the side entrance. If anyone was watching us come into the building then they won't see us leave and when it gets dark the light will be on so it will appear that we're still in here. We can take a cab to my place and the hotel and then pick up the new FBI vehicle tomorrow so we're in a car that no one recognizes. My gut telling me we should take some extra precautions at this point." His last sentence caused them both to smile, releasing a little of their nervous tension. He squeezed her hand and called them a cab, giving the driver very specific instructions to pick them up at the side of the building. He didn't want to panic her, but he had such a bad feeling.

"Bones by any chance do you own a baseball cap?" The question caught her off guard and she had to think for a moment.

"Yes, actually I have several, some from promotional companies, some from school, publishing companies and there's a few others, people just keep giving them to me so I throw them in a box. Why?"

"Go get us each one, I'd like to hide your hair if we can, because I know I can pick you out in a crowd by your hair, so let's put it up." He kept his tone light but she could feel the undercurrent in his conversation so instead of arguing she went in search of two caps. He watched her come out, her hair all tucked up under her cap and he nodded his approval as he pulled one on his head. "The taxi should be here soon, lets go."

When the taxi arrived they quickly got in and were off in the direction of Booth's. He would feel better after they were done with these errands and safely in the hotel. They moved in and out of his place within twenty minutes and just to be safe he had them change taxis at the train station. It was late afternoon before they checked into the hotel; Booth had chosen a nice Holiday Inn right downtown, filled with families and tourist. They signed in as Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Johnson, Temperance blushed as Seeley pretended to be her husband, paying cash in advance and explaining their licenses were taken in a mugging but they would be able to give them replacements tomorrow. After meeting with the manager, they were given their keycards and at last went up to their room.

Booth ran his card into the lock and let them in, even as they came through the door his words from this morning came back to her; against the cold tile, over the dresser, on the round table…she was blushing. They dragged in their bags and Brennan busied herself getting organized so he wouldn't notice the color rising in her cheeks. As she was hanging up her work clothes he came up behind her and turned her around, he brushed his fingers across her cheek.

"How're you holding up?" His touch was warm and she closed her eyes for just a few seconds, leaning her face into him.

"I'm fine for now, there's been too much happening to really think about it all. I'm starving though."

He laughed softly, "Bones you are always starving." He gently removed her cap, drawing a small breath as her hair cascaded back down around her face and onto her shoulders. "I've been wanting to do that since you put it on back in your living room." His voice was a low whisper, his lips grazing hers as she leaned into him, relishing in the solid feel of him after a day that felt so fragmented to her. She moved her arms around his neck and brought him to her, opening her mouth to him, wanting to taste him, to feel him fully against her. The desire blazed through her with such heat she wondered briefly if he could feel it radiating from her body. His hands began moving over her back and down to the edge of her shirt, his need to feel her skin washed over him and through him. He dropped his head into her neck and she tipped her head back, an offering to his descending mouth. He rubbed his chin along the delicate skin, raising a chill with the whiskers of his unshaven face, attaching his mouth to the soft spot where he could feel her pulse faintly fluttering against his lips. She moaned and felt the warmth spread between her thighs as her body grew wet in anticipation. He moved to the swell of her breasts, following the lines of her, rubbing his rough cheek across her and then retracing his path with his mouth, licking and kissing the sensitive trail. Her hands were in his hair, moving down to his shoulders she kneaded her fingers into the firm flesh, clawing across the material, wanting it off of him. She kissed the top of his head as he moved across her, turning her face she rubbed her cheek softly against him.

His hand came up her side, peeling her shirt along with it and she broke from him to allow it to be taken from her. She pulled at his shirt, trying to move it up his body and he stepped away from her stripping himself down to his jeans. He reached for her hand and walked her to the other room stopping to take her back into his arms, his kiss full of need, his tongue moving across hers. Her hands were exploring him, gliding across his taut skin, feeling the muscles fill her hands as he moved.

He moved down the front of her, pulling aside the cup of her bra and scooping her breast out to his lips. He ran his chin across it and she whimpered in response, he closed his mouth over it, moaning, sucking in small pulses. Her hips jerked in rhythm to the movements of his mouth, a long groan rolling from within her. Her hands moved to his hair, her fingers winding through, holding him to this place against her.

His hands moved down over her buttocks and lifted her, her legs wrapping tightly around him, a gasp falling from her as his erection pressed against her. He walked to the table and laid her across it, looking down at her, she was smiling, both recalling his earlier words. Her chest tightened as she looked at him standing between her legs, his magnificent chest bare, muscles flexing as he undid her pants and peeled them along with her underwear down her legs. His eyes were dark with lust as he reached up quickly removing her bra, sighing with satisfaction once he had her naked before him. He ran his hands down the front of her, cupping her breasts, rolling her nipples between his fingers, watching her body arch into his touch. He leaned over her, taking an aching nipple deep into the searing depths of his mouth, pulling hard against her, flicking his tongue rapidly over the hard bud. She was pulling his hair; her hands clenched tightly, a hiss passing her lips. He moved down her body, kissing her with an open mouth, dragging his tongue against her skin. His arms caressed down her legs, sliding them onto his shoulders as he moved into the heat of her. His tongue slowly parted her lips, sliding into her silky wetness, licking the taste of her into his mouth and groaning softly. He slid his tongue up, circling her clitoris, stroking the sensitive skin beneath it until it was swollen tight. Her hips were pushing against him, wreathing under the torturous pleasure, she was moaning and whimpering his name. He pulled her clitoris into his mouth, sucking it past his teeth, his tongue flicking firmly over the tip, sinking deeper against her, his hands holding her hips against him. She let go of his hair, stretching out her arms and grasping the sides of the table as she arched up and pressed into him. Her eyes slammed shut, her legs tightened, a cry escaping her as the first wave crashed into her. He sucked harder, her hips pumped madly under him and he struggled to hold her firmly against him as he drank every drop of desire from her body, following each wave with his mouth until he felt her start to settle.

His penis was so tight it was starting to hurt. As he removed his mouth from her he began to rid himself of his remaining clothing, the scent of her stronger than the oxygen in his lungs.

She was trying to catch her breath when she felt him move, his arms leaving her for a moment, she heard his zipper go down, the sound raising the hair on her arms in a chill. She opened her eyes as he stood up, gently adjusting her legs he waited for her to nod to him. Instinctually she held the edges of the table again at the same time she felt him grasp her hips and in one lunge he was inside her, stretching her, filling her, pushing out her sensitive walls and burying himself into the deepest part of her. His entire groin ached, feeling like he had pushed himself into a tight glove of liquid fire, he stood frozen, holding himself there. Her legs were trembling against him as he slowly began to move within her, long steady strokes that teased past her swollen nerve endings, feeding the relentless ache growing once again within her. He increased his speed until he felt her begin to tighten and then slowed him self down, beginning again at an agonizingly slow pace. When he slowed down the second time her fist hit the table in frustration, her whimper twisting into a whine.

"Seeley, please, please finish this. I can't take…" Her breath hitched as she tried to speak to him, to tell him. He bent forward slightly and began to move faster, increasing as he went, her body rocking up to meet him with every thrust. They became the rhythm, instinct taking over, their bodies slaves to the urge driving them against each other, all control slipped from their grasp as their voices rose, his hips slamming into her, legs locked, her hips grinding into him, her core pulsing around him so hard he felt his orgasm sucked out of him by hers. There were stars behind his eye lids, they were both sweating, chests heaving for air, his legs felt like rubber, he had to lie down. He eased out of her, both of them taking in a small breath in reaction to the separation. He stepped to the side of her and scooped her into his arms, a chill washing over their damp bodies as he moved. In two steps he lay her onto the bed and stretched out beside her, it was the last of his energy.

He couldn't speak, he had no idea he could feel this way. He loved her, he loved her in a way that stretched outside the confines of his body, beyond the borders of his life to level that was truly profound. A thousand years from now long after they were dead, if all that was ever said of how he lived his life was that Seeley Booth truly loved Dr. Temperance Brennan, then that would be enough. Every minute of every day for the rest of their lives would not be enough time to show her how he felt at just this moment.

He wanted to tell her, to explain how he felt but as he opened his mouth to begin, an elaborate explanation failed him and instead he whispered to her, "I love you Temperance."

Without a pause he heard her respond, "I love you too." Her eyes opened wide as she realized what she had said, what he had said, what they both had just admitted, out loud, to each other. A small alarm was ringing in the back of her head, trying to trigger her flight response but her body didn't respond. She had said it so easily, without even thinking it over, without analyzing if that was how she really felt and what it would mean. She smiled then, because she knew why and no one had to help her figure it out. She did love him, of course she did, whether it was frightening or not, she still loved him. Her body knew it and her heart knew it long before her brain accepted it, that's why it fell so naturally from her lips, because the rest of her answered before her fear could protest. Of course she loved him, how could she not have seen it sooner? She had certainly felt it. It was called making love for a reason, and that _is_ what they had just done; their bodies spoke so loudly the words were almost redundant. She chuckled softly. He looked at her, a quizzical expression responding to her laughter.

"Of course I love you, how could I possibly ever love anyone but you?" It was a statement for herself as well as to him. He kissed her, a feather light touch and then his face split into a wide grin.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

He had been watching the building since they had entered it but had not seen them leave. Her car still sat in the lot. He called her number from a business down the street but she didn't answer, her voice on the machine softening him for just a second. He waited half an hour before entering the building, he listened outside her door until someone walked by and he had to move on to keep from appearing suspicious. There was no sound from inside. Could they be sleeping? After fucking all night they were probably exhausted. The sound of her echoed in his head, the image of their naked bodies together filled his brain and the rage welled up inside him once again. She was his, and his alone, she was _meant_ for him, chosen for him. He would be able to make her see the mistake, she was a brilliant woman, once she understood, really understood, she would thank him, for showing her the right way and she would be in his arms, forever. This was all just a mistake that needed to be corrected and it was well within his ability to do so. He already had a plan of correction, a way to make the world right again and just thinking about it calmed him some. He waited two more hours before realizing they must have given him the slip, but he didn't mind really, he knew exactly how to find them, he was in no hurry. I'm coming for you Temperance. Can you feel me coming for you? He smiled and got into his car.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclosure: Still not mine, yet I am still doing what please…

**Warning: mildly sexually explicit**

Authors note: Thanks for the reviews, I'll keep going. This is a bridge chapter, when you feel the shift in the story. Let me know what you think.

"How about we order some room service?" He knew she was starving and food would be her next thought.

"I thought we might walk somewhere near by, you know get out for a minute or two." She did want to walk around but in truth she would be just as content to stay inside for the evening. They had been out for a good part of the day. She curled her hand into a fist and tapped it against the palm of her other hand, a signal between them to play the Rock-Paper-Scissors game for a decision. "Two out of three." He smiled at her as they each tapped their hands and in rapid succession.

"Room service it is then. Teaching you to play that may be the smartest thing I've ever done."

"I do like it, it's so quick and efficient, but the smartest thing you've ever done? That's a big statement." She leaned over him as she spoke, reaching for the room service menu sitting on the nightstand. He lifted his head, quickly darting out his tongue and catching her nipple as it went by him. She gasped in surprise, sitting back next to him and smiling down at him.

"It's just a figure of speech Bones. What are we going to order?"

"Why say it if it isn't true?"

He smiled, "it's exaggeration used for effect to get your point across, like hyperbole. It's not that you mean it literally, it's just that at that moment you want to express yourself with as much impact as you feel."

"Hhmmm, I'll have to remember that." He watched her, the hum of contemplation causing a flutter in his chest. Her brow creased in concentration as she studied the menu, her stomach growled in hunger.

She went to hand him the menu and he smiled, "you can just order for me."

"Booth I can't order for you, I have no idea what you want." She was surprised by his suggestion.

"You have eaten a couple of hundred meals with me over the last year, just make an educated guess. Look at the menu and tell me what you would order for me and I'll tell you if I agree." He watched her look over the menu with renewed interest, her hair falling about her face, her skin glowing as the golden light from the last of the day bathed her from the window. He loved her, this beautiful creature, with her hands dancing over the page deciding what she would feed him, her eyes as blue as the horizon behind her. It terrified him, the more he loved her the more he had to lose if something were to happen to her, he was doomed already, he would never survive it.

She looked up from the menu, surprised by the dark look of anguish on his face, "Seeley, what's the matter?"

At hearing her softly say his name he blinked back to the moment, "nothing, there's nothing the matter. What are we having?" Like the flick of a switch, his smile was back, beaming at her. She stared at him for a moment, reading him to see if he really was fine, reaching out her hand she stroked his stubbled jaw, letting the soft hair brush against her palm.

"Okay, I'm having the salmon with lime pesto and I think for you it will be the steak, medium rare, pink but not too bloody, baked potato with both butter and sour cream, the summer vegetable mix and salad with Ranch dressing. What do you think?"

He was chuckling warmly, "I think that's exactly what I would have chosen myself. See you know me better than you think." She was oddly pleased by his remark and smiled herself as she called down the order, adding a nice bottle of wine and some coffee for later. When she hung up the phone, she told him it would be 30-40 minutes before the food arrived. Getting up from the bed she pulled on his t-shirt and wiped off the table before setting up her laptop. He started laughing and she shot him a look.

"Don't want the table smelling like sex while you're trying to work?"

"I'm not setting up to work and the table is not nearly as distracting as you lying there naked. I thought I would flip through my calendar from last year and see if anyone from our previous cases catches our attention."

"Do you want me to get dressed?" He had his eyebrow raised, waiting. She took a moment, letting her eyes move slowly up and down the length of him stretched casually across the bed. He was in incredible shape, well defined, his tan skin stopping at the line from his bathing suit where the trail of hair down his abdomen led to his penis. She watched in amazement as it stirred slightly as though being awakened be her stare. She shifted her eyes back up his chest, noting the marks from her mouth and nails, recalling the taste of him and the way each of his muscles felt moving under her hands. When she looked at his face he was smiling at her and to her surprise, blushing.

"Certainly not on my account, but I suggest before the room service arrives you might throw something on or the delivery guy is in for a shock." She was laughing at the thought.

"I'm sure at a hotel in downtown Washington D.C., the room service team has probably seen much worse."

"Oh, I'm sure they have too." She was still chuckling as she began to read to him some of the names associated with the cases of the last year. There were more than either of them originally realized and going through them was really a very good idea on her part. They discussed possibilities until the food came and Booth leapt up, fumbling to quickly pull on a pair of sweats before answering the door while she bent over with laughter at the realization that he had, in his haste, put them on backwards. She wiped off the table again, pulled the cart up next to it and began setting them a place to eat while he got himself situated. She closed the laptop and set it aside deciding they could just enjoy each others company during dinner and walk through possible suspects later.

The food was excellent and the meal passed quickly as they ended up talking about the old cases anyway, laughing over some of the things they had done and still arguing over others. The wine was gone and they were both feeling quite content, having derived lists of people they felt could have wanted to harm one of them, people that had reason to be angry at one of them and people that Booth's famous gut said just couldn't be trusted. Temperance sent the list to her e-mail at work so she could have the files pulled in the morning. After putting out the dinner cart and getting clothes ready for work they made their coffee and piled all the pillows against the back of the bed, climbing in and flipping on the television. Booth moved rapidly through the channels looking for something to watch, he found The Davinci Code could be ordered from the front desk and called down, deciding that it would be interesting for the two of them.

Temperance placed a request for a wake up call to the front desk, pulled on a pair of underwear and sat on the edge of the bed. She wasn't really sure what to do with herself and all the events of the past few weeks were starting to seep into her brain, love, lust, fear, shock, loss and grief all swirling around the floor of her thoughts, gathering. Booth turned off the lights and set the television station, having noticed her stillness he climbed into the bed, fluffed the pillows and sat back. He knew she was suddenly feeling overwhelmed, it had happened to him earlier.

"Temperance, it's much more comfortable over here." She turned to look at him, his chest bare, his hair still tousled, he gently patted the spot next to him on the bed. She moved up and leaned back against the pillows. "Don't try to think about all of it tonight, it's too much. We can start to sort everything out tomorrow, together. Right now, we're going to watch a movie. Okay?" She leaned into him, settling into the crook of his arm.

"Okay." Her voice still seemed a little fragile.

"You know I get overwhelmed too. It comes in waves and you just have to ride it out."

"Does everybody?"

"Yes, to different degrees, some people cope better than others but most people would agree that you do better if you learn to talk about how you feel, that way too much doesn't get built up. It's like a pressure cooker, every now and then you have to let off a little steam to keep from blowing the lid off." He gave her a gentle squeeze and felt her relax fully against him. He started the movie and in no time they were both caught up in it.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Hodgins should never see that movie, it will confirm half his conspiracy beliefs and make him completely intolerable."

"What did you think of it? Did you like it?"

"I thought it was very interesting, some of it far fetched but most of it was actually in line with my own beliefs. Religion, throughout history has really been a collection of stories, no more actual than the ones you read to Parker at night. They were used to explain that which man could not understand, they were never meant to be historic. It's probably closer to the truth than most actual research out there, but people will never accept it, they need the religious structure as a moral crutch."

"Is that how you see religion, as a crutch?" He was careful in his question because he knew they had different beliefs here.

"For most people, yes, and religion as define by organized religion, definitely. What did you think of it?"

"Well I find it interesting that something so important in many peoples lives may have been based on a lie. Although I'm sure there has been a lot of deceit within the Catholic church, I think they started out organizing without malice. Personally I find religion to be a much more individual event, I am more inclined to believe in a private relationship between a man and his God. I have found that things start to go wrong when you try to apply a universal type of thinking across a group of people. I really enjoyed the movie though." He yawned, stretching his arms above him, a shudder running through his chest, through her.

"Does it bother you that we don't have the same religious beliefs?" Her voice was softer, not accustomed to asking him these types of questions about himself.

"No, not at all, we have different beliefs on a lot of things. I think as long as any two people respect each others beliefs they don't have to agree all the time. If we agreed on everything, well, that would be boring." She felt him yawn again.

"Good. We should go to sleep, we have a busy day tomorrow." She rose from the bed and headed into the bathroom, washing up and brushing her teeth, only taking a few minutes. He was in and out right behind her. She came up to him, still feeling hesitant, as though he was off limits, forbidden. She reached up and rubbed her hand across his jaw, caressing his weekend growth. "You didn't shave, I thought the FBI required your clean cut look."

"They do, but I thought I'd wait until morning, you seem to like it." There was that sparkle in his eye as he spoke, pressing his chin back into her hand.

"I do, very much." She looked him in the eyes, warmed by the expression there. "What are we doing Booth?" His hand was trailing down her arm, tracing the hot flow of blood to the pulse point at her wrist.

"I don't know." Her heart was pounding, and as his fingers trailed lazily back up she felt her body waking up, her skin warming and tightening in response to him.

"I'm asking you a serious question." Her voice had dropped and he could see her struggling between her arousal and the churning of her endless thoughts.

"I'm giving you a serious answer," his hand moved to her waist, coming up and grazing the side of her breast. Her nipples hardened against his t-shirt, appearing before his eyes. "I don't know what we're doing, it's past dating, it's beyond making love," his fingers slid beneath her breast and an ache settled behind her nipples, leaking liquid desire into a pool between her legs, "it isn't anything I've experienced before." His thumb began circling her areole, feeling the dark skin pucker beneath the thin fabric, he moved with agonizing slowness as his fingers sank into the tender flesh. Her knees felt weak and a breathy sound escaped her. "I honestly don't know what it is we're doing but I'm certain that I love you and whatever this is, I don't want to stop." His words were drawn out, mirroring the rhythm of his fingers. He suddenly grasped the tight bud and rolled it firmly, her body lurched and a small cry escaped her lips as she felt a flash of wet heat tear through her center and into her depths. He leaned close enough for her to feel his breath against her ear as he whispered, "do you?"

She wanted to answer him but her body was commanding all her attention and her words would not form. He tightened the pressure on her nipple, sliding down the edge between screaming pleasure and pain. Her body jerked again, her stomach tightening as a long moan escaped her and her womb pulsed in need.

His voice came through the fog of her desire, like the feint rumbling of thunder in the distance, thick with the promise and relief of rain. "Do you want me to stop Temperance?" His hand trembled with the effort of restraint; the sound of his blood rushing filled his ears. Every time he touched her, her whole body answered, it was so intensely sexual he could feel the charge directly to his loins each time his fingers moved over her. In one stroke, her breathing became shallow, her pulse raced, her skin tightened, her body became warm and wet and yielding. In one stroke.

She inhaled deeply, pushing the words out on the next breath, "no, don't ever stop." He picked her up and laid her gently on the bed, the only light was the blue screen of the television capturing him in its cast. It reminded her in that instant of the full moon in the desert on the back porch of the cabin in which Angela lay grieving, she had been studying his profile in the night, wondering at his presence. He had not hesitated to show up, to offer whatever she needed from him.

The light danced over him as he eased her up, pulling the t-shirt from her body and laying her back against the pillows. His eyes raking down her body, her scalp tingled, her body hummed with anticipation, her toes curled. He slid her underwear down her legs, letting his fingers glide along the silky length of them on the way. She was tugging on his sweats so he stood and pushed them to the floor, unable to drag his eyes from her.

He climbed into bed next to her, his look so intent it made her shiver. He made love to her then, letting go of all his apprehension and allowing his body to express every urge he had harbored for the last year, silently dissolving the last of her defenses. Her body answered him, letting him in, releasing herself to him until there was nothing left of her that he didn't know, hadn't touched. He made her cum with his mouth, his hands and finally his body until she had no where left to hide and in their final release the sounds that filled the room were pure, visceral.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The sound of the phone was brutal. Temperance sat up, grabbing the receiver and confirming that they were indeed awake. Booth groaned next to her, unable to believe that it was already time to get up, it seemed he had just fallen asleep a short time ago. She stretched beside him, feeling the pleasant ache through her body from the nights activities, tired in the most satisfying way. He leaned across her, picking the phone up he called down for coffee and a Danish tray.

After hanging up the phone he paused and kissed her lightly, "good morning." He was grinning, unable to contain himself. She smiled back, pleased with how comfortable she felt even in the harsh light of morning.

"Good morning. I'm glad you waited to shave." She was blushing at the implication of her own words. He pulled back the covers and looked at her body; the mark of his presence seemed to be everywhere, left easily in their passionate state on her delicate skin. She should have been embarrassed by his bold inspection of her naked body but instead it felt natural, intimate.

He gently touched a red spot near her breast, "I'm sorry, does it hurt?" He was disturbed that he may have harmed her, was already coiling his anger at himself when she spoke.

"I'm not and no, it doesn't hurt, it's a little sensitive but not enough for me to register a complaint. It can't be any worse than those," she gestured toward his shoulder where red lines from her nails trailed across his shoulder, just above a rather pronounced bite mark. He started laughing, as did she, caught up in each other, in the good feeling that started to bubble up between them.

"Okay Bones, we have a big day ahead, lets get up and tackle it." He dropped a quick kiss on her navel and bounced off the bed. She followed him out of the bed and they began their morning routine, showering and dressing while grabbing bites of Danish and sips of coffee. She packed up her laptop and the files she was working, turning in time to see him come from the bathroom, fully transformed back into his FBI self.

"There's agent Seeley Booth," she smiled softly.

"Are you ready?" He extended his arm and they headed down to catch a taxi to the FBI headquarters.

Booth left her in his office while he finished up paperwork and picked up the keys to the car. There were no results yet from forensics but he was told they would be in by early afternoon. She sat in his office, studying her surroundings in a new light, looking carefully at the things he used everyday, smiling at the remnants of him in the room. He came back dangling some car keys in front of him.

"Let's go Bones, I'll get you to work and then get back here."

In no time they pulled up to the Jeffersonian in a blue Chevy Impala. He pulled up to the doors and leaned toward her.

"Booth we're on camera." She pointed to the video camera aimed at the parking lot.

"Bones, we have tinted windows, they can't see you until you get out." He was chuckling until she leaned over and took his breath away, kissing him deeply, breaking only when she had to.

"Have a good day, call me when you know something."

He looked at her seriously all of a sudden, cupping her chin, "Temperance, I love you, please be careful today, be more aware of your surroundings. Okay? I'll call you by lunch time, or before if I know something."

She blushed slightly, "I love you too, and you should watch yourself also, we still don't know what this is about, okay?" He nodded at her and they parted slowly, neither one of them really wanting to go. He watched her head into the building, she turned and smiled at him and he headed back to work.

He was at his desk an hour later, working on a backlog of paperwork when his cell rang, he smiled when he saw it was Angela.

"Booth here, and Angela I can't tell you any more than she did."

"Booth, what are you talking about? Did you talk to Brennan this weekend?" Her voice was rushed, not playful as he had expected.

"Angela of course I spoke to her, I dropped her off over an hour ago."

"Funny Booth, really, did you talk to her, because she isn't in yet and it's not like her to be late and not call, she usually opens this place on a Monday."

His heart clenched in his chest and he raised his voice, "Angela, this isn't funny, I watched her walk into the building myself."

She too was now sounding panicked, "I swear, I am not joking, her office is dark and locked, her car is not here, she is not answering her home or cell phone or the building overhead page. I'm worried."

"I'm on my way." He hung up the phone, his chest was tight, his hands turned cold, he could hardly breathe. He called downstairs and reported her missing, told them he was headed to the Jeffersonian and wanted to be called as soon as anything at all was found by forensics. He called agent Fischer to meet him at the facility. He broke records driving there, his heart slamming in his chest, this couldn't be happening. He could still see her, turning at the door and smiling at him, the most beautiful smile. He could still smell her perfume in the car, his throat constricted, his eyes burned. He clenched his fist and began beating the dashboard, "Nnnoooooo!" He heard the pop and crack of plastic breaking and didn't care, never felt the bone in his hand break. He stopped hitting and screeched into the parking lot, slamming the car to a stop and exiting at a run into the building. He passed Angela and went straight to her office, needing to see for himself that the room was dark. He turned as soon as he couldn't enter, Angela was a few steps behind him.

"I need a key to her office, right now Angela."

She rattled the ring in her hand, "I was just coming from Goodman's office with them but she hasn't been here, security said she wasn't on the video entering the building."

Booth spun around, his voice tight with pain, "I dropped her off myself, she smiled at me from the door, her hand was on the handle. I saw her, do you understand me, _I saw her_." His voice was breaking and suddenly Angela was afraid, something else was going on here.

"Booth, what the hell is happening? Where is Brennan?"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

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If you have an opinion, give it, see button below…you know the routine.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: They are not mine and I am still doing with them as I please…

Authors note: You requested a rapid update, begged for me to write quickly and so I have, always one to keep the readers happy. Now, you know what makes me happy? That damned little button at the bottom of the page.

Angela came up and put her hand on his arm and they stood for a moment, frozen, as the fear swirled between them. Agent Fischer found them as they were unlocking Brennan's office. Booth started to talk then, explaining that someone had destroyed his vehicle and where it was found. Angela normally would have questioned him about being over Bren's on the weekend and why he had stayed the night but she bit her tongue in front of the other agent. The way Booth was glaring at her made her more than aware this was not the time for questions.

"I need to get into her e-mail, she sent herself the list of possible suspects we worked on yesterday so she could have the files pulled this morning." He sat down at her desk, glancing at the notes she had written here and there, looking at her handwriting and visualizing her here, scrawling the notes in haste before leaving. His hands curled into fists and it was then the pain shot up his right arm and he remembered the dashboard. He uncurled his hand and turned his attention to the computer. Angela walked him through the sign on when suddenly a personal security screen popped up requesting a password.

"What's her password Ange?" The agent sat waiting, hands poised over the keyboard.

"I don't know, that's a personal sign in, try some different things, try bones." He typed and was rejected. They threw out possibilities, the name of her book, her brother, her favorite color and even Wong Fu's with no luck. Suddenly Angela reached over his shoulder and he watched her type, B O O T H. The screen jumped to life in from of them. He smiled a small smile, the pleasure and the pain of thinking about her twisting through him like a blade. Once in the e-mail he opened and printed the list, scanning the rest his eye caught one from David, sent on Saturday. It struck him, why would David be e-mailing her on Saturday when she broke it off on Friday? He thought back, recalling when he arrived Friday how she had been expecting David, assuming he would have unresolved feelings about what had happened between them. He knew she would be angry but he couldn't help himself, he wanted to see what the e-mail said, easing his guilt by convincing himself that there might be information in it that would help with the case.

Angela watched Booth pause and watched agent Fischer take the list from the printer and distract himself by looking down the names. She put her hand on Booth's shoulder and squeezed, letting him know she was behind him. He opened the e-mail and began to read, his face twisting in confusion.

_My dear Temperance,_

_I am sorry for my harsh words last night, having had some time to think I realize that I acted in haste. Booth is your partner and nothing more, it's not like you can control what you dream. It was wrong of me to hold that against you._

_I assume you are at work today as you are most Saturdays so I am hoping you get this some time this morning. I tried your cell and your house but there was no answer. I just know we are supposed to be together Temperance, out of the millions of people on-line we were chosen for one another. _

_So, I know we can work this out and I will be coming by your place tonight, between 7:00 and 7:30 to talk and hopefully, to stay. You know how I feel about you._

_All my love,_

_David_

Booth's mind was reeling as he thought back to Saturday evening. Had David chickened out and not stopped by? They were home, there was no music playing, they would have heard him if he had knocked. As soon as he finished the thought Booth realized what it meant, if they would have heard David, then David would have heard them and he was fully aware of what they were doing at about that time. Suddenly the pieces began to fall into place. His phone rang, startling him from thought.

"Booth, yes I know, fingerprints and blood traces are both a match? I need addresses on any property owned by him, his phone bills and credit card purchases for the last 72 hours as soon as possible. Call me when they're ready." He snapped his phone shut and looked at Angela and agent Fischer who was waiting expectantly for the news to be relayed.

"Angela, David has her and I need to know all you know about him. The forensics lab just called and prints from the SUV matched David."

"David? Why would David have taken her, isn't she dating David? Booth I need a little more information here."

He sighed and told them both to sit for a moment. He relayed what he knew of the Friday break up with David, leaving out the details about the dream and explained that he had stopped to see Bones that same night. He stopped for a moment unsure of how to explain what happened next. What could he say? That he never left? That he had been hopelessly in love with her probably since the first case they ever worked together? That a year of dancing around one another had ended in a slow dance that changed his life?

"Agent Booth, you were saying something about the weekend?" Fischer was starting to look impatient.

"I stayed, I stayed at her apartment the next two nights, if David's e-mail is correct and he stopped by on Saturday at about seven in the evening I am pretty sure I know what he heard from the other side of the door. I can't imagine he took it well." He waited, watching their faces as they began to understand his implications.

Angela was smiling, "Booth, you and Bren finally got together?" He watched it all sink in, "and David came by and heard you having sex?" She saw him blush deeply and agent Fischer was now shaking his head.

"So when we came by here to get the SUV you two were not just meeting to go to breakfast? I knew something was off with your story. So this David must have realized that he had to take her before the forensics on the car came in, before she got here and read the e-mail and figured it out herself?"

"What exactly did he do to your truck?" Angela's eyes were wide as Booth explained the rest of the weekend, up until the moment of her calling him.

"You spent the night in a hotel with her last night? She spent the last three nights with you? Three nights? She doesn't spend three nights with anyone Booth, it's against her nature, it would be detrimental to her personal space…oh my God, she loves you. Doesn't she? Bren doesn't just spend the weekend, especially not with you." The room became quiet, he couldn't look at either of them, his whole body was tense.

Angela came and put her arms around him in a hug and as she let go he looked at her, his eyes burning, the pain etched in his features, "we have to find her, if he hurts her I'll kill him."

Agent Fischer suddenly spoke up, "hey, I didn't hear that okay? What did the office say about addresses on this guy? What does he do for a living? Was he born here? What does he drive? How did he get her out of this building?"

"I can help with some of that before the FBI gats back to you." Angela look between the two of them. "I know he's an investment banker and his office is in the building with the Comerica Bank headquarters. I don't think it's open on the week end. He has an apartment in those relatively new buildings just North of the airport. He drives a black Mazda and thinks it's a macho car, but is terribly mistaken." She rolled her eyes at the last statement and despite himself Booth gave her a small smile.

"He had to have taken her before she actually came through the second set of doors out front, before she was picked up by the inside video system, I want to see the morning tapes."

They all headed together to the security office, Angela having to rush to keep up with the long strides of the two men. In the office they watched the tape several times, Temperance at the door, turning to smile at Booth and then disappearing into the building. The third time as if he had no control of his own hand, he reached out and gently touched her figure on the screen, trying to pick up the smallest feel of her. Angela turned her head, unable to watch the pain flow from him at the sight of her.

They watched the doors for ten more minutes and no one came out, people began to arrive at the building but no one left. Booth requested the tape from inside the doors, where Bones never appeared. Then on the screen, seven minutes after she had entered they watched as a man came into the building, pushing a large cart, on the side of it was the name of the shredding company that came to pick up their disposed of paperwork. The cart seemed weighted and the man, in a plain beige company uniform and cap casually pushed it down the left hall. They tracked him on video until he exited out the side entrance and wheeled the cart easily into the waiting truck.

"That's David." It was Angela who spoke first, recognizing his build and movements and more clearly his face when he loaded the cart into the truck. Booth suddenly struck the table in frustration wincing as his already injured hand seared with a burning pain.

"Booth you need to have that looked at, it looks terrible." The side of the hand was starting to swell and turn shades of angry purple.

"Where would he have taken her? He had to have knocked her out or drugged her to get her into that cart and he had to do it quickly, she's a fighter and she would have fought back if given the slightest opening. Let's go to his apartment, we'll call and get the unit number and I'll meet you there." Fischer nodded in agreement.

Suddenly Angela spoke up, "I want to go with you Booth, she my best friend."

"Angela I can't take you, first of all I don't have clearance for that and secondly everyone else here wants to know what's going on and they are her friends too. You need to go out and explain it to them and see if they have any other information to offer. You can call me if you find anything else out and I'll keep you posted on where we are, you know I will. Now go calm Zach down before he worries himself into a fit and assure Hodgins it's not a governmental conspiracy or alien abduction, okay?"

She nodded and smiled weakly, "I understand why she loves you. I knew it had to be you for her, David never really meant anything, she was just afraid. Now go find her Booth, take your big hunky FBI self and beat David's ass and bring her back, okay?" He nodded and she hugged him, quickly turning before she started to cry and walking out to talk to the others.

Booth made the call for the exact address and the two men headed out of the building to their separate vehicles. He was on his way there when the call came from headquarters, the reception was poor. He was told David's mother had a house on a lake not far from the city, a cabin she stayed in seasonally. There were no other properties registered in the family's name. His gut told him the cabin was a better bet than the apartment, more secluded. He asked that the credit card receipts be checked as soon as they arrived and specifically he was looking for any purchases of gas, food or other items on the route from the city to the cabin. He got the address to the residence and tried to call Fischer to let him know he was going straight to the cabin but there was no answer. Why wasn't he answering? Booth turned the car and headed out of D.C., his gut instinct telling him that he was headed for Temperance.

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David snapped the phone shut and smiled, the fearless hero was on his way. He had been preparing for him for two days, knowing he would come to try to save the day. A twisted smile slid across his face, it was almost over now. He would take care of Booth and end his involvement in Temperance's life once and for all. Once Booth was dead she would have room to love him instead, without distraction. She would see that it was for her own good, that he was protecting their future together and in the end she would thank him for having the vision to rescue her. Then she would be his, completely his, without all these FBI complications. Maybe they would travel, see the world together, it would be fun, sharing their knowledge and passion for learning about other people and places. He couldn't wait to get this over with so they could go on with their lives.

He checked his preparations carefully one last time and went to check on Temperance, she needed to be awake for Booth's arrival.

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Temperance felt someone tapping her cheeks as she climbed through the fog and screaming pain in her head toward consciousness. Blinking into the light she saw David and jerked back from his touch. She immediately realized that she was unable to move, that her body and limbs, even her head were bound against a chair. Bits and pieces were coming back to her, entering the building and seeing the man in the beige uniform, realizing it was David and pausing in confusion, just long enough for him to place something over her mouth, she must have passed out. She was in the trunk of a car for a while but when he opened it he knocked her back out and now this.

"Your FBI hero is on his way dear but don't worry, I'm ready for him. I'm sure you're confused about all this but in time you'll come to understand, once he's dead you'll be rid of him for good and then you'll have room in your heart for me." He stroke her cheek and she tried to scream but her mouth was taped. Her mind was spinning, kill Booth? He couldn't really be planning to kill Booth, but the look in his eyes, the glazed look of insanity told her he was serious. She started to fight, pulling at her restraints, straining and twisting to no avail.

"I knew you would try to fight, that's okay, I understand your confusion but it will all become clear. I wanted you to be able to see the front door so you can see him enter, so you can see him for the last time and because I know that death is easier to accept once you have a body, you taught me that." His smile sent chills down her spine, the hair on her neck standing up as the fear rippled through her.

He leaned in close to her, placing a kiss on the tape that covered her mouth, "you'll thank me later my dear. Be sure to keep your eye on the door now, I wouldn't want you to miss it, it would be like missing our child's first steps." He walked out of the room and it was suddenly quiet. She tried to look around but her forehead was taped to the chair, forcing her to look directly at the front door. She was in a room across from it and the door was pulled part way so she could only see part of the entryway.

The house she was in was furnished, occupied, but this was not David's house, where was she? She closed her eyes for a moment, she could smell a musty scent and maybe a trace of something fishy, then it hit her, water, she was near water. She strained but confirming the absence of waves it must be a lake and not the ocean, no sound of people, it must be somewhat secluded. She tried to rock the chair but it didn't move, she was completely and very tightly tied or taped in place.

She didn't know how long she sat there, time ceased to move, it was so quiet she wondered if David was still in the house. She lifted her head as she heard the car on the gravel drive, sweat beading on her forehead she tried to make noise, then realizing it would just bring him running, which is what David wanted, she forced herself into silence. _Please Booth, concentrate, find him before he sees you, please._ She heard the click of the door handle turn ever so slightly and watched, frozen, as it slowly opened. He stepped in and she could see him, her chest filling with an ache at the sight of him, his eyes scanned the room and locked on hers. She saw his lips form her name and his head begin to turn before snapping forward when the first shot rang out. His eyes grew large and he staggered from the impact as the second shot exploded in the room. He hit the floor with a sickening thud. Temperance was frozen, eyes round, all systems falling into shock. She saw David then, walk into her field of vision, near the place where Booth's body hit the floor. She watched as his arm extended and at close range he fired.

Temperance Brennan passed out.

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Okay readers, everyone try to take a deep cleansing breath before you review and remember, the story isn't over.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: They are not mine and yet I continue to do with them as I please.

A/N: I have updated as soon as I could so that I wouldn't leave you all hanging, please let me know what you think of it.

Temperance opened her eyes and realized she had only been out for a moment; the nightmare was still before her. She could see David bent over in the other room, he looked over at her, his eyes shining unnaturally bright, maybe she has lost her mind. He began walking toward her, stopping to open the door wider and she feels the bile rise in her chest as she realizes it's for the benefit of her view. He walks back over to Booth and she wants to close her eyes, wants desperately NOT to see but at the same time, a large part of her needs to know if her worst fears have been realized. She has to look, has to know if there is any hope that he is still alive. She feels the hot acid slide up her throat and thinks for a second she will start to choke, the tape making it hard for her to breathe, a vice tightening around her heart. David bent down and slowly pulled on Booths leg and she watches as his body is dragged by, covered in blood, in an impossible amount of blood. Then he disappears out of her sight and there is nothing but the blood all over the floor. He looked lifeless; no one survives three gunshots, one at close range, and that much blood loss without immediate medical attention. She hears a series of slow thuds and realizes his body is being dragged down a set of stairs. This time it's voluntary, she closes her eyes and lets the darkness take her.

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Agent Fischer was on the phone, wondering why Booth had not shown up at the apartment. He knew the man was half crazy with grief and worry and it was obvious why. In their brief meeting in the parking lot just two days ago he could feel something between them. At first he thought they were trying to hide something, the way Booth had kept glancing toward her, checking on her while trying to remain casual. It was Dr. Brennan that gave him the truth; in one glance at agent Booth her expression told him everything.

Fischer knocked on David's apartment door repeatedly and receiving no answer, he popped the lock and entered, gun drawn. He was certain the apartment was empty but experience taught him to err on the side of caution. He cleared the premises and began to look around, trying to get a grip on this guy. The apartment was unnaturally clean and orderly, this guy had definite anal retentive tendencies. He dialed Booth again and when he got no answer he checked his phone to see when the missed call had come in from him. It didn't make any sense. On instinct he called headquarters to see if Booth had checked in and was told they had not heard from him. The apartment was clean, even the garbage was empty; there were some bills on the counter, nothing of interest, no interesting meds in the cabinet. Something didn't feel right, he turned slowly around, noting Dr. Brennan's photo in a frame, it felt…what? Then it hit him, it felt staged, no one really lived here. He called headquarters and asked if anything came up on other properties owned or rented by David or his family. A cottage, willed to him by his mother two years ago when she died, on a lake. It was in the opposite direction that he had come, with city traffic it would take a while to get there and he needed to get more help before going. Still puzzled by Booth's disappearance he tried the agent's phone one more time.

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Temperance opened her eyes once again; she had no concept of time. David was sitting in a chair watching her. He came over and cut the tape holding her head, trying to be careful as he pulled it away from strands of her hair. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to pull away from his touch and began coughing. He pulled the tape from her mouth, a small piece of skin from her lip coming with it. She could taste the blood, the scent oddly comforting in its familiarity.

"There you go, that has to feel better. Now that we are done with that nasty business we can get on with our lives. I know you're upset right now Temperance," he stroked her cheek and she jerked her head out of his touch. "It's okay, with Booth dead you're free to love me, the way it was supposed to be." His voice made her head hurt and she couldn't bear to listen to a single word that passed his lips. She hated him.

She knew what she had to do.

"David untie me." Her voice was weak and scratchy, her throat hurt. He was staring at her intently, trying to read her. "David, I'm not going to run, you're right, I'm upset, but I'll be okay. There isn't anything I can do about the situation now anyway except move on from it." Her voice hitched at the word situation, she couldn't bring herself to say Booth's name out loud. "Come on David, I'm tired, I can't feel my hands and feet, I'm hungry and thirsty, get me out of this chair." Slowly he crouched down and began to undo the knots in the rope around her ankles. She watched the top of his head, picking the spot just above a wave in his hair that she would aim at when she struck him. He looked up at her and smiled and she gave him a small smile in return while she visualized how completely crushing his skull would feel. The rage moved within her like a living thing, crouched and waiting to pounce, burning with hunger, growing stronger by the minute.

"I knew it Temperance, I just knew it. You are a brilliant woman and I just knew that in no time at all you would understand. I didn't think it would be this soon but you always have been a quick learner." His voice rose with his excitement. He had her legs untied and was cutting through the tape he used to bound them to the legs of the chair. She wondered why she was barefoot. Her fingers twitched with the urge to be free and moving around.

He cut the tape going around her shoulders, peeling it away from her, watching it pull her shirt away from her body. His eyes fell to her breast and the red marks still bright against her skin. He reached over and touched the edge of her breast, her stomach coiled with the need to throw up, her hands were still bound. The burning in her chest was spreading, she couldn't think about Booth until she was free, she focused back on the rage slamming around behind her ribs, restless to be released.

"I'll draw you a bath later, call me old fashioned but I'd like to have his touch scrubbed off of you before I put my hands on you. We have plenty of time now, for those things." He remembered back to how she sounded through the door of her apartment and his penis twitched in response. He could hardly wait to have her, to touch her, to hear her say his name in that way. He smiled at her, a look thick with desire and she closed her eyes. He thought it was because she fighting her own desire for him. He started to work on her arms, finally getting the last of the tape and rope off of her so that she could move.

Temperance began rolling her ankles and wrists, massaging her hands together and intermittently rubbing her feet trying to restore circulation. She was unsure how long she had been tied in the chair but was aware from the state of her limbs that it had been long enough for all her limbs to be asleep. The sensation of needles spread as her blood flow returned, she tapped her feet on the floor, waiting to be able to feel them before attempting to stand. David was watching her intently as she moved her limbs, she couldn't look at him, her heart began pounding so loudly in her chest she was sure it would give her away.

"David I need some water." He slowly left the room and she pushed herself into a standing position, the pain shooting up her legs. She waited, letting her body adjust before attempting a step. He was back all too quickly.

"Here, drink this first, maybe you should rest for another minute." His voice was almost kind, almost the voice of the man she knew before all this started. She drank part of the glass, afraid if she drank it all that she would just throw it back up. Her stomach clenched as the water hit and she took a few deep breaths against the nausea. She handed him the glass and began to walk hesitantly into the other room, when she reached the door frame she rested against it, taking a deep breath as her eyes fell to the blood trail across the floor in front of her. She started to tremble, looking around to divert her attention away from the blood, her eyes fell on an end table, next to a cream colored sofa, there abandoned on a small lace doily sat a gun.

"You know David I need to eat, I'm starting to feel nauseous. Is there something you can fix quickly just so I have something on my stomach?"

His voice came from behind her, "I'll make you a sandwich, why don't you try to rest some more." He came up behind her and squeezed her shoulder, passing back out of the room from the other door, the kitchen must be behind her. As soon as he left the room she stepped forward, as she reached the blood she knew she couldn't step over it but as she placed her foot in the sticky substance her stomach lurched and she gagged. She couldn't think about what it really was, what it represented. Her foot slid slightly and she made the last few steps to the nightstand, she lifted the gun and made sure the safety was off before turning and waiting for him to return. She glanced around but didn't see a phone; there was a large stone fireplace behind her and an overstuffed chair. She had no idea where she was, how could she even call for help? Her mind was spinning now and she clutched the gun firmly in her hands.

She heard him coming, "Temperance, lunch is ready, we can eat on the…" The sentence died on his lips and a look of disappointment came to his face. He shook his head slowly, "Temperance, put the gun down."

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Agent Fischer knew something had happened to Booth, it had been too long since he had contact with the other agent. He called the Jeffersonian and spoke to the woman named Angela and was not so surprised at this point that she hadn't heard from him either. He had a difficult time getting her off the phone; she certainly was a persistent woman, making him promise to call her with any news.

Fischer was just a few miles from the lake with two other agents in tow when he heard the call over his radio, local police and an ambulance being dispatched to gunshots fired at the cottage address. He picked up his speed.

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Temperance Brennan held the gun in front of her and as David took a step toward her she pulled the trigger. The sound was deafening in the small room, reverberating off the stone. It took her a moment to realize he was still walking toward her so she fired again, two more shots in quick succession. David was on her, she blinked in disbelief as he grabbed the gun, wrenching it violently from her hands. She swung at him but he sidestepped it and swung the handle of the gun at her head. She twisted away from him, the blow catching the edge of her chin.

"TEMPERANCE, STOP THIS!" He grabbed at her wrist and she turned into a kick, hitting him in the meaty part of his thigh. He yelled and jerked her toward him with such force she felt her shoulder pull. He launched her past him and into the fireplace, she put out her arm and heard the wrist break as she tried to stop her fall and then the crack of her rib as she hit the stone hearth. She scrambled over as he came at her and grabbed the poker from the kit on the hearth.

"Temperance please stop this!" She swung wildly at him; on the second pass he let the poker strike him and then grabbed it, pulling it from her. She heard sirens in the distance and wondered who had called the police. The pain in her chest expanded with each breath and she realized the rib must have punctured her lung, she didn't have much time. She stepped back as he swung at her, the slick blood causing her leg to slide, she could feel herself falling. She hit the floor hard, a shock of pain searing through her chest, she swung out her leg, catching his ankle and forcing a fall onto one knee. She kicked at his groin as the poker came down and she twisted, feeling the impact to her shoulder. She heard the crash behind her and as the poker was raised again the shots exploded into the room.

The moment seemed suspended, David with his arms falling, an expression of pure shock on his face as his chest bloomed brilliant red and his body collapsed to the floor. Temperance was coughing, blood running from her mouth, she raised her hand to her face, she was covered in blood, Seeley's blood and as the thought struck her she started to sob, collapsing into a fetal position and wailing loudly, the pain in her chest engulfed by an infinitely greater wound.

People around her were yelling, handling her, poking her, lifting her. She was loaded into the back of an ambulance, agent Fischer was yelling something to her that she couldn't hear or understand, everything felt like it was far away, and then there was nothing.

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Temperance didn't open her eyes when she woke up, she didn't want to know where she was, didn't care. She knew she was in the hospital, could hear the sounds of soft shoes, humming machines and whispering nurses. She could smell it in the air, disinfectant, bodily fluids, antiseptic, illness and fear. It was a scent like no other.

She knew why she was here, remembered every horrifying moment and wished that David had killed her. It would have been so much easier than opening her eyes in a world without Seeley. The ache began spreading across her chest, her heart constricted and she could feel the tears leaking down the sides of her face, into her ear. The pain was crushing, she felt as though she had been gutted, an emotional autopsy while she was still alive. How do people survive this?

She let herself think about him for just an instant, his smile sparkling up into his eyes and the grief flooded through her, the images of him suddenly bombarding her, each smile, every touch, his laugh, his lips that first time he kissed her…she thought she would scream, each flash feeling like a hammer was striking her heart. She was hyperventilating, trying to breathe, trying not to breathe.

She heard a voice, a nurse speaking to her, "Dr. Brennan, open your eyes. Are you in pain? Dr. Brennan, open your eyes."

"Temperance."

She froze, absolutely still, her breath still rasping from her lungs.

"Temperance, please look at me."

She opened her eyes and turned her head toward what she knew had to be a hallucination or she had finally just lost her mind. Her eyes grew large and she began to tremble, her brain unable to process what was before her.

"You're dead. I saw him kill you. You aren't really here. You can't be here. There was so much blood. _I saw him kill you_." Her voice was hitching through the sobs, shock, fear, confusion and disbelief all moving across her features. He was here, standing next to her bed, a bandage around his head and a cast on his arm. There were no bullet holes, no other injuries, he looked so alive. She looked at his face, his eyes filled with worry and warmth, eyes she thought she would never look into again.

"Listen to me, the bullets were blanks. David had the gun rigged to the front door, when I opened the door the gun went off. He knew I would see you. He knew I would be distracted. He had come up behind me and hit me on the head. He poured the blood on the floor, it wasn't even human blood. It was all a show; he wanted you to think I was dead. They were blanks, do you hear me, blanks. He just dragged me downstairs and tied me up in the basement. Fischer found me. I'm fine, I'm here and I'm not dead."

He could see her flinch when he said David's name, saw her taking in the information, trying to make sense of it in her head. He knew he had to make her understand before she would believe it. It was the way of her scientific brain to understand first and believe second. He wanted so badly to touch her, to hold her, to wipe out the nightmare and let her see that he was real but he was warned to go slowly. She was staring at him, sobbing, lost. She was in shock, for her his death had been an actual event. He knew what it cost her, had heard David's conversations with her, the gunfire, the fighting, the sirens and her. He had heard her wailing in grief and could do nothing but listen, fighting his restraints, lying in a hell of frustration. In one plan David had found a way to torture them both and if he were not already dead when they released Seeley, then killing him would have been the agents' only goal.

She remembered firing the gun and how David had kept coming and the pieces started to make sense to her. There weren't real bullets in the weapon, that's why he didn't care about leaving it out. She slowed her breathing, stopped crying and looked at him.

"Come here, I want to feel you." She held out her hand and he stepped closer to her. She lifted her hand to his face and he bent toward her, letting her cup his cheek, run her fingertips over his lips and slide her hand around to his neck. As she pulled him to her he thought she was going to kiss him, but she moved her face into his neck and inhaled deeply. She loosened her grip, letting him pull back and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "It is you." His grin spread across his face, lighting his eyes and she started to cry again. He put his good arm over her, trying to be careful of her bandages, her bruises, her cast and her IV lines. She kept touching his face, running her fingers along his bandage, over his skin and into his hair. "You should sit down."

He moved the chair next to her bed and pressed the button to lower it as far as it would go. He laid his head near her breast, resting himself comfortably, so she could feel him, stroke his hair and slide her hand across his neck and onto his back. His cast rested next to him, his left hand curled up against her cheek. They didn't need to speak, not now, right now they just needed to feel each other.

"When can we go home?" She felt his body shake as he chuckled.

"It'll be a few days, but I'll stay right here until then. Okay?"

"Promise?"

"Yes, I promise."

"Okay."

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Let me hear from you people….I'm just the push of a button away.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: They are not mine but I thoroughly enjoy making them do as I please…

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and the encouragement to continue this story; I deeply appreciate your responses.

Angela looked at her two friends, wondering how they were going to manage. All Booth's damage was on his right side and all Bren's was on the left, but they were insisting it would be alright.

"Are you two sure you can do this by yourselves because I can take a couple of days off and help, really it would be no problem"

"Ange if you're not at the lab, who is going to keep the boys in line? They'll be racing bugs all day and nothing will get done. We'll be fine and if we need you we can always call." Temperance offered a small smile. She knew Angela was just being protective but it was going to be hard enough to figure things out with just Booth here and another person would just make it harder. "I have all the prescriptions, we have stocked the fridge, we now have a television and movies and other than a desperate need for a shower I can't imagine anything else we could require."

Angela walked closer to Temperance, "do you want me to stay and help you shower?"

Brennan's face blushed, "no that's okay, Booth can help me with the shower."

"I know I always wanted you two together but it's taking a little getting used to, I forget that you're a couple. I'm sure part of that is because I've only seen you in a hospital bed but we'll all be up and going out again soon, right?" Angela had been concerned about Bren since she was found, she had been too quiet, not like herself and although Ange knew she was dealing with the trauma something seemed to be bothering her on another level.

"Right."

"You'd say anything to get me out of here right now wouldn't you?"

Temperance gave her a laugh, "honestly, yes."

"Okay, okay, I'm going." Booth had walked into the kitchen, coming up behind Temperance and smiling at Angela. "No driving and call if you need anything. Take good care of each other, I'll check back later."

When the door closed they both sighed heavily.

"At last, some peace and quiet, I just want to shower, take a pill and lie down. How about you?" He was grinning his famous smile at her and she reached up to touch his face, still confirming, even after a week, that it was him. He didn't mind, he liked her touch and the consistent flutter of her fingers against him throughout the day brought him a level of comfort also.

"You read my mind, I just don't sleep well in the hospital, all that banging through the night and I'll never understand why they need to come wake you to check vitals in the middle of the night, it's just not logical. They tell you that you need rest and then spend all their time interrupting your rest."

He was laughing and the sound immediately calmed her. He had been with her since she opened her eyes in the hospital and still it wasn't enough. The fear of losing him was palpable and no matter how much she touched him or how long she stared at him there seemed to be no relief from it.

"Okay, let's get these casts wrapped up and see if we can't manage to get through a shower together. Where are those plastic covers for the casts?"

"In the bag from the pharmacy, I'll get them."

They headed into the bathroom and she started to take off her shirt when he reached over, "let me help you with that." He eased it over her head and discarded it, carefully undressing her until she stood naked before him. He turned on the water and turned back to her, looking at her injuries for the first time. There were a lot of bruises, a clear handprint on her arm, a dark long one across her shoulder, across her ribs and hip and at least a dozen smaller ones in between. The bandage near her side where the chest tube had reinflated her lung was bandaged today when the stitches were removed before they came home. He ran his hand ever so gently over the marks, from the deepest plum to the palest yellow spot, his eyes growing dark, his expression moving between sorrow and anger.

"If he wasn't already dead I'd kill him for this." His words hissed from his lips sliding down the blade of his anger.

"The bruises weren't the painful part." Her eyes were shining as he looked up to see tears trickling down her cheeks. He began smoothing them away with his thumb. "I," she paused for a long time, "Seeley, I'm not ready to talk about this." The tears kept coming.

"It's okay, you don't have to, when ever you're ready I'll be right here."

"I'm tired of crying, I feel like my face has sprung a leak and I can't get it to stop." She wiped at her eyes in annoyance.

"Careful Bones, that was almost humor." He smiled, following her lead to lighter conversation. "Come on; let's get this hospital smell off of us." She helped him undress himself and they set about their task.

The shower took more out of them than either one was willing to admit. Brennan was surprised at how weak her body seemed to be after only a week of being inactive. Despite the sweats and t-shirts dressing had been more difficult than they anticipated and due to her rib Temperance decided a bra was out of the question. They had moved slowly and she was sure that once they got a routine down the whole thing would become easier but for now it was just exhausting.

"I need to lie down for a while, do you mind if we watch a movie later?" She sounded both apologetic and tired.

"No, I'm wiped out, sleep sounds like a great idea." He didn't move, suddenly unsure of what to do, looking to her for some indication of what she wanted, what she needed.

She held out her good hand to him, "are you coming?" He moved toward her with relief walking contentedly to the bedroom. She pulled the blinds and they climbed into bed, she curled into the crook of his good arm with things swirling in her head she wanted to say to him. It just wasn't the time.

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Seeley woke with a start, she was crying in her sleep, murmuring the word no over and over, struggling against him and growing more anxious.

He placed his hand on her shoulder, "Temperance." She slowed but didn't wake. "Temperance, wake up it's only a dream." Suddenly her eyes flew open and she jerked forcefully, crying out in both fear and pain, her hand instinctually going to her injured side. She was breathing hard, blinking, trying to orient herself. "Hey, it was only a dream."

His voice was gentle, a thin line she could follow back to reality. Her side and arm were throbbing so she lay back down. Every time she closed her eyes it was the same, the gunshots, the blood and Seeley's body being dragged past her. How could she love him and be so filled with fear at the same time? She felt like she was being split in two. Would they ever have a normal life together? When ever he walked out the door the possibility that he would not return existed. She knew how it would feel to lose him and wondered, if it had been for more than one day, would she have survived it?

She knew she was obsessively touching him; she felt clingy and needy and hated herself for it but was powerless to stop the reaction in herself. How could this have happened? How could she have been SO wrong about David? What did that say about her ability to judge people's character? Booth had been right about him from the beginning; he said he didn't trust him, that there was something squirrelly about him. He had said it was his gut instinct; she would laugh at the irony if it wasn't so painful.

She felt him stroke her hair, the even rhythm meant to calm her.

Booth, she had to figure out what to do about him. She knew she loved him too much to be able to walk away. She wanted him to hold her, to make her feel the way he did before all this happened, before all these bad feelings became tangled up in their good ones. How could she ever accept him doing his job now? She knew it wasn't rational, he wasn't hurt at work but the knowledge remained that he could be. She wanted to withdraw from him, to shut down and not allow him to love her, to protect herself. She was surprised that she couldn't do it. He had seeped into every part of her, making it impossible to just shove him away and close the door without destroying herself. She had no defense mechanism to use against loving him and the knowledge of what that could cost her was terrifying.

She thought he had fallen back to sleep so his voice made her jump, "let's get up and fix something to eat, we should have something on our stomachs and besides I'm a little afraid of what Angela will do if she comes back and we haven't eaten all day." He adjusted slightly and looked down at her, "are you okay?"

"I'm trying to be."

"That's all that matters." He awkwardly lifted his cast and turned her face toward his. He leaned down, barely brushing his lips over hers, testing her, letting her choose. She closed the distance, kissing him, slowly tasting him, letting her tongue hesitantly touch his as the familiar warmth spread through her.

He released her, "I've wanted to do that for a week." She squeezed him against her with her one good arm, a quick tight hug of reassurance. Her tears were threatening again so she just offered him a small smile. He climbed carefully from the bed and helped her up, following her to the kitchen.

"How about I keep the cooking simple, scrambled eggs with cheese and mushrooms and some toast? What do you think?" He was trying to be cheery, they seem to be having a hard time shaking the dark ominous feeling that had been with them since the incident.

"That actually sounds good, can I help?" She liked being busy, it kept her mind off things.

"Well, you can handle the toast, I'll do the eggs." He was already pulling things from the fridge and putting them on the counter. A moment later she heard him gasp.

"Damn it!" He walked to the sink and ran his finger under water. "It's hard to cut mushrooms with one hand." He sounded like Parker, explaining an accident in terms of his problem. She came over and took his hand from the water, looking at the cut, it wasn't bad but they were not in a position to lose the function of any more limbs. She went and got a Band-Aid and gently dried and bandaged his finger, softly kissing it when she was finished.

"Parker told me that makes it better."

"He's a smart kid." He was blushing a little, being treated like his son and so thoroughly enjoying it.

They finished cooking and sat down to eat, deciding the meal preparation had still been easier than the shower. Temperance was surprised to find out how hungry she was once she started eating and actually how much better she felt when they were done. She called Angela and requested that she stop and pick up a food processor so they could get things chopped or sliced without any more bodily damage and a chess set she added suddenly, she wanted to play Booth.

He watched her on the phone, knowing something was off with her and unable to put his finger on it. He could see her thinking, trying to work her way through all the thoughts and emotions trapped within her. He had seen her looking at him as though she wanted to say something but just didn't have the words. There had been a few times when he felt part of her curl away from him, even as she reached out to touch him something in her was backing away. It worried him that she may find her way back into that fortress that kept her from him for so long. Now, having loved her freely he couldn't imagine loosing her in that way. He knew she had to find her way through it and eventually, when she had a handle on what she believed and what she still questioned she would speak. Until then, he waited.

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After two weeks of being together they had settled into a routine, managing the domestic chores together, watching movies and television to expand Temperance's cultural knowledge and playing chess in the evenings. He was far better than he implied and their games sometimes became intense as they tried to out strategize each other. She looked forward to their game each night, it kept her mind active and engaged, demanded her attention. They kept careful track of how many wins each of them had, allowing each other to use the wins to call in favors. They would discuss their day, the news, the programs they watched and what the next day would bring. They were comfortable in a way, cocooned within their world, letting time move them away from what had happened to them.

All was not as cozy as it appeared though because there were too many things they did not discuss. Booth let her set the pace in everything and often her actions confused him. She would kiss him passionately and then move away as the dark shadow he had come to recognized crossed her eyes. He could feel the want in her, but it would slip away and he didn't want to pressure her. He had spent almost three solid weeks with her and everyday the ache to have her grew stronger. He desperately missed her and she was right in front of him. There were moments when they were in the middle of a game of chess or preparing a meal that he would make her laugh and he would see the old sparkle in her eye but just as quickly it was gone.

They had company, Angela, Jack, Zach, Dr. Goodman and even Cullen had been by to see them and she would engage in conversation, manage to smile, almost appearing to be herself but still somehow falling short of the woman they all knew. She had made an extra effort when Parker came, trying to keep things as normal as possible for him. He had a thousand questions about their casts and sat very contently on Brennan's lap while she let him draw all over hers. Seeley had a glimmer of hope that day, loving her for trying in front of Parker, for wanting to protect him from the realization that anything was wrong.

Physically they were healing, the bruises were just about gone and the incision was well on its way to being a small scar between her ribs. She was frustrated by her cast, often banging it and sighing loudly in frustration when it inhibited her ability to get something done. She was still plagued by nightmares and sometimes in the early morning when it was a particularly bad one, she would slip into her study and write for a while. He didn't like waking without her, her absence echoing the way he felt about her, causing him to start his day sadly, filled with longing. He would get up and make them breakfast and she would always come out, just before it was done, knowing by scent and sound that it was time to join him.

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Today there would be a change in their routine, Angela was coming to take them for doctor's appointments, the ride was pleasant, each of them having their own agendas for the visit. Angela was filled with gossip from work, Zach had a crush on the new waitress at Wong Fu's and Jack was going to kill Goodman before Brennan got back. Angela wanted to ask out this hot guy that was bar tending at the club down the street, he was an artist trying to make a living until his work was discovered so they had a lot in common. She was oozing excitement and chatted most of the way there about the many possibilities for them.

The office was too bright, Booth watched her pacing, waiting for the orthopedic doctor to make an appearance. He could tell she was geared up for something.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Jeffery Allen and you must be Seeley Booth and Temperance Brennan, or I'm in the wrong room." He chuckled at his own joke, nodding at each of them during the introduction.

"It's _Dr_. Brennan." Her voice was stern and Seeley felt for the poor middle aged man with the receding hairline that had no idea what was barreling in his direction.

"Well Dr. Brennan, your x-rays looked good, you're at the half way point…"

"Cut it off." She was pulling at the cast and he looked at her in shock.

"Dr. Brennan the bones take a certain time to heal and…" Seeley wished he could just tell the man to stop talking.

"Dr. Allen I'm a forensic anthropologist with the Jeffersonian institute, I have spent my life studying bones and I am fully aware of how long they take to heal. This was a clean fracture and I am secure that it will be fine. Now cut this off of me or I'll do it myself. I'll take a removable air cast for sleeping, but this is coming off right now." She stood straight, waiting for him to challenge her again and from her stance it appeared to Booth she could get physical with the guy. Dr. Allen looked over to Booth for help.

Booth raised his hands in defense, "don't look at me, I'd just do what the lady says if I were you."

Dr. Allen shook his head, a weary expression settling there, "you'll have to sign a release stating this is against my medical advice and I'll do what you ask. Please tell me Mr. Booth that your request is easier.

"Well, not really, I'm here for a removal also, and just the hand splint to go. I need to be able to drive and this cast is just not cutting it. You might as well just break out your saw." He could see Bones behind the doctor grinning at him, a grin he hadn't seen in too long and he smiled back at her.

"I'll be right back with your forms and in the meantime you two can take a few moments to reconsider this decision." He left quickly, looking relieved to be leaving the room.

"I didn't know you were going to have your cast cut off today." He was still grinning at her.

"I didn't know that was you intention either, are you sure only one bone in your hand was broken. If it was stepped on there could have been multiple fractures." Her voice wavered a little when she suggested it was stepped on but as she was speaking he realized she didn't know how it had been broken; she thought it happened at the cabin. This was as close to conversation about that time as she had come, even though it was clinical.

"My hand wasn't stepped on; the injury didn't happen at the cabin." He was hesitant to mention the cabin but was sure that mentioning David's name would be worse.

She looked confused, "Booth how exactly did you break your hand?"

"I punched that FBI issued Chevy on the dash a few times. It was after I received the phone call from Angela that you were missing, I was on my way to the Jeffersonian and I had a little episode where my anger got the better of me." He watched her carefully, wondering suddenly how much of the actual events were still a mystery to her.

She was surprised; shocked actually, she had assumed his injury came from David. Her brain recoiled at the thought of him while she wondered how much there was she didn't know, should know so she could put it behind her. She could see Booth at the moment he described, angry, afraid, speeding down the streets beating on his dash board in frustration, so hard that he broke his hand. She looked over at him, standing there holding his cast and it dawned on her that she had been so overwhelmed she had forgotten that she hadn't gone through this alone, it didn't just happen to her. He had been here all this time dealing with her and with his own demons. She was alone in her thoughts because she wanted to be to figure things out but he was alone because she had shut him out.

"Booth, I…"

"Okay you will both have to sign this form and then we can cut those off and you can be on your way." Dr. Allen burst back into the room and was handing them each a form and turned to plug in the small hand held saw.

"We'll talk when we get home, okay?" He smiled at her, not really sure of exactly what her words meant, his stomach turned over and he only managed a nod to her that he understood.

"Who's first?" Dr. Allen looked from one to the other, moving toward Temperance when she waived him over to her.

It only took a few moments and they were both free of the cumbersome casts. Dr. Allen gave them both prescriptions for their braces and let them know there was a medical supply facility where they could pick them up just down the street.

Angela was in the waiting room and noticed immediately that the casts were gone.

"Hey, your casts are off, I thought you had another three weeks."

Booth answered quickly, "apparently we're quick healers." He was grinning and Temperance had a conspiratorial smile on her face.

"Why do I think something went on in there?" Angela lifted her brow, glancing at her two friends.

"Hey the good news is that I'm cleared to drive." He put out his hand in Angela's direction.

"Not my car you're not but it was a nice try Booth." She was laughing, tossing her keys and heading out the door. Behind her Temperance let out a small laugh and Angela couldn't help but feel that something besides their casts had been removed in that office.

They stopped to pick up carry out from Wong Fu's on the way home and Temperance realized this would be the first meal they hadn't fixed themselves in a couple of weeks. Temperance liked the routine of mealtime they had established, in the kitchen together, preparing and fussing. Booth had dubbed her his assistant and they often talked and laughed through the process, it felt warm and domestic, normal in a way she previously thought was out of her reach.

When the meal was done and Angela was gone they began cleaning up the kitchen.

"You know Bones she has been a really good friend through all of this and with all the errands and driving around as well as keeping an eye on things at work it had to have been hectic. I think we should do something special for her to say thank you, I just don't know what."

Temperance was touched by his thoughtfulness and knew he was right; Angela had been indispensable in the last few weeks.

"I think you're right, we'll have to come up with something that would make a statement. She deserves some type of recognition from us. Let's think on it over the next couple of days and see if we can't figure out what would really surprise her." She paused, looking oddly nervous, "speaking of appreciation, that reminds me, we need to talk, if that's okay."

His stomach clenched and he looked nervously around the room.

"Yeah, that's fine. I was just going to pour a glass of wine, would you like one?" He really wasn't but when she mentioned talking he thought it might do them both some good.

"That would be great, in the living room; I'd like to be comfortable." She was thinking about what she was actually going to say to him. Where would she possibly begin and when it was all said and done where would it leave them?

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TBC…you know what's coming…hit the button, tell me what you think, is it time for an M/MA chapter?...


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I don't own them but I have thoroughly enjoyed using them for my own entertainment.

**Warning: M rating for sexually explicit material**

_You talk 'cause talking tells you things,_

_Like what you really are thinking about,_

_And sometimes you can't find what you're feeling_

'_til all the words run out. Harry Chapin_

They sat next to each other on the sofa with enough room to be turned toward one another.

"First of all I want you to tell me everything that happened during the incident with David starting from when you dropped me at work that morning and ending with the hospital." She sounded solid in her request but he could see doubt in her eyes and there was still a physical shift at the mention of David's name.

He took a deep breath, reviewing the events and sorting them in his head before beginning. As he spoke he realized how much she didn't know about what happened. She was surprised, blushing a little when he told her they had figured out her password at work. She had never seen the e-mail from David and between the FBI and Angela his name and all correspondences had been stripped from both her computers before she ever came home from the hospital. He moved through the events staying as factual as he could and she could visualize everyone in the way he described them. When he came to the point where he was entering the house he stopped.

"You actually know more about this part than I do. I just remember seeing you, bound, frightened and then waking up in the basement, covered in blood and when I realized it wasn't mine I was terrified that it was yours. Then I could hear your voice upstairs and I was so relieved that you were alive but I heard his voice and what he was saying to you. I knew he was trying to break you. I listened, I heard you fighting him and knew you were trying to get away, I just pieced together the rest of what I heard until they found me in the basement." His fists were clenched in his lap, his eyes bright with the pain of the memory. He slowly unclenched his hands, finished the wine he'd been drinking and got up to get a refill.

"Are you ready for another glass?" His voice was weary, defeated, caught in the moment when he was powerless to save her.

She had been perfectly still, bracing herself as she took in the conversation but as she refocused her attention she seemed to relax and hand him the glass.

When he returned he settled back down beside her and continued, "I was in the ambulance behind you even though I kept telling them I didn't think I was hurt. Once I was cleared at the hospital I sat in your room and went over everything with Fischer. Angela showed up and we started to organize what needed to be done, she arranged for our things to be brought back from the hotel and went and removed all traces of David from your home and office. I don't know how my car got here; I called Cullen and Dr. Goodman about the time off and updated them on your condition."

He paused to drink, watching her, stoic, staring at him and knowing her brain was moving at an alarming rate, piecing things together, seeing the events and processing the information. He smiled at her and she nodded so he continued.

"While I was waiting for you to wake up a woman from the hospital came to talk to me, apparently the doctor had ordered a psych evaluation. She tried to prepare me for your possible states of mind and I'm sure that she thought I was being combative because I kept arguing with her. She wanted me to leave your room, telling me my presence would be too much of a shock for you. I told her she may be able to gauge how the average woman would react, but she didn't know you and you were definitely not the average woman. I refused to go and when she said she would have me removed if she thought it was in the best interest of her patient I told her I would handcuff myself to you if I had to, but I wasn't leaving. Angela came in about then and must have heard part of the conversation because she took the woman out into the hallway and I never saw her again. I have no idea what she said to her." He started to chuckle, remembering Angela's anger and the woman's shock as she was being led from the room.

"A few hours later they came and removed your chest tube and were lowering the sedation medication so the doctor was sure you'd be waking up soon. It was the next morning when you opened your eyes and you know the rest." He sighed heavily, glad to be at the end of it and amazed at how much there was to tell, how much had actually happened in that short time.

"I guess it's my turn." Her expression had changed to one of trepidation.

"Only if you want it to be." He wanted her to talk but knew it needed to be her choice.

Her voice was low, her whole body tense, "he told me, before you arrived that he was going to kill you. He said it would make room in my heart for him. I remember thinking it wasn't true; he wouldn't be able to kill you. I thought you would come and rescue me and we would just walk away from this terrible day. When you opened the door and I saw you, I was trying to tell you it was a trap but there was tape on my mouth and then the gun went off and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I heard the second shot and saw you go down but still I thought, two shots could be bad but a lot of people have survived two shots. Then he appeared from the back of the house, I know now he had gone around to get the gun, and he walked over to where you were lying and fired at point blank range. I'm missing some of what happened next because I passed out but he waited for me to wake up, then opened the door so I could see as he dragged your body by the door. I remember at the time thinking it was an impossible amount of blood and you looked so pale and lifeless. He told me you were dead and at that point I believed him."

Tears were running down her face and she kept swiping at them. He wanted to reach over and hold her but he knew she had to finish so he handed her the box of tissue and just gave her hand a gentle squeeze so she was aware he was with her.

"I have some small gaps in my memory here too. I convinced him to untie me but this is where I need to correct you. I know you thought you heard me trying to get away but I had no intention of leaving. The only reason I wanted to be free was to kill him. I didn't care what happened to me, I didn't care about anything else. In a way I was eerily calm and it was probably shock but I could feel the rage too and at that point it was greater than my fear. I only remember having that one thought and how calming it felt to know that no matter what happened, my next act would be to take his life. I was planning on crushing his skull but then I came across the gun and of course it was filled with blanks so it ended up physical and you know the rest." The tears were still falling and her unsteady breathing was starting to hitch.

"Seeley I've been so consumed with trying to figure out how to love you now that I know how it feels to loose you that I haven't considered how you felt in all this. It isn't that I wanted to shut you out but for me to have some time to heal I did have to shut down. I'm sorry, it's just that I don't know any other way and now every time that I think about how much I love you it's twisted into how afraid I am to lose you. I don't know what to do about that and I can't stop the nightmares from coming to remind me. I just know that the thought of being away from you right now fills me with such dread I can hardly breathe. I just don't know what to do." She was sobbing now, unraveling, crying for everything she had ever lost and he could restrain no longer, he reached over and took her in his arms, pulling her onto his lap and cradling her against him, trying to hold her close enough to absorb some of the pain from her. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, clinging against him.

He was rocking her gently, his own tears slipping down his face. She loved him and wanted to keep loving him and was trying to figure out how to do it without being afraid. He had been so terrified himself that she was trying to find a way to leave him that she just couldn't let herself love anymore.

"Temperance we can't let this rule our lives, if we do then, he's won, he will have successfully taken you from me. We can't let that happen. Let's go back to the same logic you used from the very beginning. I want you to think about the way we felt together from that Friday when I stopped by until I dropped you at the Jeffersonian on Monday. Think about how powerful those feelings were, how overwhelming but at the same time so amazing, so intense it was almost like being drugged. Now, think about that moment when you thought I was dead and how painful it was, would you trade one not to feel the other? Life is full of risk, I could slip and fall in the shower and break my neck. We take it one day at a time for as many days as we have left, either one of us. We risk it together and we talk about it and just like the monster check we do for Parker in the closet and under the bed, every day we chase the fear away until we've outgrown it."

He had no idea if she was still listening to him but her crying had subsided and her breathing had calmed down. He kept rocking her, stroking her hair and cooing softly that it would be alright, that they were safe, that he loved her, that he loved her, that he loved her.

Her eyes were burning and felt swollen from crying, her chest felt tight and there was a steady pain throbbing in her head. He made sense, following a line of logic she had been unable to find he had brought her back to a place where she understood. She was lulled by his rocking; just the slightest of movements and his voice washed over her like a cool breeze over her burning thoughts. Exhausted she fell asleep curled against him, his heart beat resounding in her ear.

He knew she was asleep, for them it had been a long emotional day even though it was still early, he knew she wouldn't sleep through the night but knowing how intermittent her sleep had been lately he didn't have it in him to wake her. He lifted her up, holding her against him; she subconsciously tightened her grip. He walked to the bedroom and laid down with her, keeping as much of the physical contact as he could. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply, relief seeping out of him as he relaxed into the arms of sleep.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Temperance heard the phone ringing in the distance and knew it was her home phone, it was totally dark in the room, she could tell it was late and let the machine pick up but listened. It was a wrong number and she was grateful. She was lying on Seeley, he was stirring beneath her, his arms coming protectively around her. She was too warm and she moved to sit on the side of the bed.

"Hey there, what time is it?" He sat up himself blinking into the darkness, just making out her form on the side of the bed.

"It's 3:35 in the morning, what time did we fall asleep?"

"It was about 7 o'clock when I carried you in here."

"Eight and a half hours and if the phone hadn't been ringing we'd still be asleep. I can't remember the last time I slept this long without waking up at all." She started to laugh softly.

"What's so amusing?"

"Well it's 3:30 in the morning and we're wide awake and I don't know about you but I'm starving."

"I am hungry and I want a shower, a shower without my cast, I can hardly wait." She could hear the smile in his voice and felt as though she had woken up from more than sleep.

"Then let's shower and make something to eat." She felt the bed move as he stood and came around, taking her hand and walking her to the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror, a face she recognized but a woman she wasn't sure she knew anymore. Pulling the Velcro and removing the air cast she was rubbing her arm, appreciative of her ability to touch her own skin. She undressed and was in the water before he had his clothes off and he watched the water pour over her, his eyes moving over her body. He stepped in behind her, trying to forget how she felt against him, picturing crime scenes to purge his mind. She was vulnerable and he didn't want to take advantage of that, but suddenly without the casts to act as a wall between them she seemed somehow more naked to him. Mentally reprimanding himself, he began picturing the crime scenes again, closing his eyes and concentrating.

"What's the matter?" She looked concerned and had placed her hand on his chest. "You look upset."

"No, no I'm not upset, I was just thinking, I'm fine." She moved her hands to his waist and turned them so he was under the water. He closed his eyes under the rush against his face, and was surprised by her hands moving into his hair, massaging his scalp, working in shampoo.

He thought back to the day he had done this for her and smiled, "you know I can do this myself."

She mentally stepped back into the same memory and he heard her laugh. "Well even though you're capable why don't you let me take care of you for a minute, because I can," her voice dropped to a whisper, "and because I want to."

The hair on his arms rose and he was painfully aware that his penis had shifted. He wanted to accept this simple act of kindness from her without arousal but his body felt only her fingers, was hungry for her touch whether compassionate, kind or sexual. Her hand was under his chin, tipping his head back into the water to be rinsed, smoothing his hair back from his face, her fingers raking through his hair.

She was watching him closely, this man she had clung to but barely seen in the last few weeks, his eyes closed his expression moving between pleasure and turmoil. She tried to understand him, waiting these last weeks for her to return to him, reining in his wanting, offering her his comfort and companionship. He was noble even in the way he loved her. She could feel her desire, clawing at her belly, the heat rushing through her causing the water to be cool against her skin. His hands rested lightly on her hips. She began washing him and he opened his eyes, dark pools casting a lustful shadow over her every move. She moved carefully, tenderly, preparing him, for herself. She felt very tribal, very primitive, washing it all away, every bullet she saw fired, every drop of blood she thought was his, every moment that she had hurt him, every time she had pulled away. A ritual cleansing, a new beginning, she could give him this, a place from which to begin again, a catharsis for them both.

When she finished she opened the shower door, the steam billowed in thick waves out into the room. She turned, standing on her tip toes to kiss him on the forehead, knowing if she touched him in any way she wouldn't be able to stop.

"Go put on something comfortable, I'll be right there." He could see the sparkle in her eyes, the reassurance in her voice and he knew something had changed. He wanted to question it, to question her but she slid the door shut and he was alone. He did as she instructed, opting for sweat pants and a t-shirt, it was after all, still the middle of the night. He moved into the kitchen, taking out fruit and eggs deciding on crepes because they were quick and easy and she loved them.

When she came into the kitchen he already had the crepes cooked and had mixed up the filling, she came over and started to cut the fruit.

"I was just wondering where my cooking assistant was, I was lost without you."

She smiled at him a sincere smile that reflected in her whole face and he couldn't help but return it.

"You know I wouldn't run out on a job. Crepes, you read my mind, did we have apples left?"

"Apple and cinnamon, peaches with sweet cream and strawberries with cream cheese are what we're having. We're out of raspberries and blueberries so throw those on the grocery list." The sound of them as an old married couple echoed through her and she waited for the panic that didn't come. She was comfortable with him, more herself when she was around him in a way that she had never been with any one else.

"I'll write a list in the morning. I'd like to go by the lab later today or tomorrow, I know we aren't due back to work for another week but there are some files I'd like to pick up and I'd like to see everyone."

"Do you want me to go with you, just for the company?" He knew it would be her first trip back since the day David grabbed her and he wanted to be there but he was learning to let her choose.

"Yes, that would be nice and I'm sure everyone would be happy to see you too. They have a lot of respect for you and I know they think of you as a friend." She wanted him there and if he hadn't asked she would have requested that he come with her. A month ago she would have questioned him visiting her at work without a reason and now she was willing to admit she wanted him with her. Life can surprise you.

He set a plate in front of her, "dinner is served, or breakfast or whatever it is, it's served." She got up and placed three candles on the table and turned out the light. The room immediately danced with flickering light, the darkness outside suddenly thick against the windows.

"Better, it was far too bright in here." She sat down and he was staring at her, pulling himself together he smiled and began eating. "How's your hand doing?"

"A little stiff but good, I couldn't be happier about getting that cast off, I was really only looking to get cleared to drive today but when I saw you ask to gets yours off I figured mine could go too."

"Booth, is it hurting at all because it might not be a good idea for yours to be off yet? I knew I should have looked at your x-rays. Show it to me, make a fist." He knew she was serious so he lifted his hand and made a loose fist, accompanied by a small wince. She took his hand in both of hers and felt around, bending and pushing until it was sore. "Well it seems to be mending but you need something with heat rubbed into it and you need to stretch it to get your full range of motion back. You should be removing that splint up to three times a day and working that joint."

"Okay, okay. I'll do it, you can show me how when you're doing yours later." He started to laugh at the expression on her face. "What's the matter, didn't you have any intention of following your own advice?" She was so busted and he knew it.

"Of course, but the care of my wrist is different because it was a different type of break and it's relation to the joint isn't compromising like yours is, although I appreciate your concern." She sounded like his Bones again and he couldn't help but smile at her.

When they finished eating she led him to the sofa and went to get some salve for his hand. She sat next to him with her legs folded up and took his hand into her lap. He rested his head back, closing his eyes. She smoothed the ointment into his skin, massaging his palm and up each of his fingers, paying special attention to the outside of his hand, working and bending the fingers as she went. When her motions stopped he opened his eyes to look at her.

"Try using it, see how it feels."

He flexed it, then moved it to her face, cupping her cheek. She leaned her face into him, skimming over his lips, her breath trailing across his cheek. He took her face in both his hands and kissed her, his tongue running across her bottom lip, her mouth opened to him offering him a taste of her desire. He tilted his head and sank deeper into the kiss, revisiting everything he had missed about her in these last weeks.

He released her, "are you sure?"

"I've never been so sure of anything in my life."

He kissed her again, the urgency rushing through them, everything they had been repressing suddenly flooding through and between them. She could hardly breathe, the oxygen tight in her lungs as his hands moved over her, grazing the side of her breast she gasped before he touched her. He leaned back into her mouth and moved his hand over her breast, seeking the nipple with his thumb he was rewarded as she moaned into him. Her hands were under his shirt stroking him, her nails raked lightly down his chest, over his dark nubs, down into the trail that disappeared into his sweats. She wanted him badly, her womb throbbed deep within her, her own moisture hot against her thighs. He bent his head, nipping her tightened nipple through the fabric, rolling it's twin in his fingers. She groaned loudly, pushing herself into him. Her lips dropped to his neck, wrapping around the corded muscle there and sliding down to his rapid pulse where she began to suck the flesh into her mouth in matching rhythm.

He stood and scooped her up, surprising her, and walked to the kitchen, pausing to blow out the candles he carried her down the hall.

She was laughing softly, "I can walk you know."

"I know."

He sat her gently on the bed and lowered himself next to her, peeling her shirt over her head and laying her back. She lifted her hips as he stripped down her cotton pants and satin underwear together. She sat back up, pushing his t-shirt over his head and tugging at his waistband. He stood and dropped the rest of his clothing to the floor. She was reaching to pull him to her even as he moved into her arms. They kissed with bruising need, her fingers digging into his back. He moved his head down taking her breast into his mouth as though only this would sustain him. He drew hard on her nipple pulling it between his teeth. Her hips were jerking against him, she could feel his erection pressed between them. Her mouth was on his neck, his chest, his ear, desperate to taste him, she moved to his shoulder working her teeth and her tongue into his flesh. He groaned, moving himself to the side he slid his hand between her legs, his fingers sinking in the silky wet depth of her, "Temperance, my god…" His words growled out of his chest, her hips were grinding against his hand her body arching away from the bed.

Her hand snaked down, curling around the thickness of him, moving over each familiar ridge, stroking his length. He sucked in his breath and sank his fingers deeper, pumping in quick bursts, she was wreathing steadily, chasing his movements. He felt her release him and he exhaled deeply a momentary flash of confusion passing across his face as her hand covered his between her legs. Her fingers caressed the tight skin over his knuckles and his movements slowed, she was moaning loudly. She slid her fingers over his, sliding them inside herself, bathing them in her own juices, stroking with him. He turned his head to look, his body tense with the erotic sight before him. He watched as she slowly removed her hand, her palm caressing him and then she returned her hand to his penis. His hips lurched, his penis pushed against her slick fingers as they slid over the head of him and he groaned against her.

Her free hand wove into his hair, pulling him to her, "Seeley, now, please, we'll take time later." Her voice hissed into his ear, her lips nibbling the lobe. He removed his hand and moved between her legs, her hand guiding him between her lips before sliding around his neck. He rocked forward and her knees came up around each side of him, hips rolling, feet locking behind him, nails sinking into his back and a cry coming from her. She felt her body stretch around him, his mouth coming down on her neck as he held himself inside her. Her hand started stroking the back of his head and he began to move slowly once, twice and then as though he had been unleashed.

He was engulfed in the heat of her, his body consumed with the need to be deeper, to chase some primitive notion of making her his. Every ounce of her responded to him, with him, feeding his impulse.

Her body tightened around him, her back arcing to receive him, matching his rhythm, driving toward release. He pushed them along the sharp edge of pleasure, until she thought her body would splinter from the sweet pressure building within her. The familiar tingle ran through her limbs as his impossible pace continued, she felt his body stiffening and grabbed at his hips, her feet dropping to the bed as she slammed herself up into him, her muscles in spasm, he thrust harder, surging into her, her walls locked tightly around him pulsing in waves of shattering release as his body emptied into the depths of her. They lay, trembling against one another, small moans still escaping with their rapid breaths.

He was still above her, the air starting to cool the sweat from their skin when he felt her lips move lightly over his ear, "I missed you."

His chest tightened at her words, he knew their value. He kissed her neck, tenderly moving up, "I missed you, too." He touched his lips to hers, looking into her eyes where the first rays of early dawn danced over her pale blue gaze.

He eased off of her, she curled against him sighing contentedly her hand tracing mindless patterns on his chest. He watched her slender fingers move over him until they stilled and he knew she had dozed off to sleep and then, comfortable in the knowledge she was resting, he did so himself.

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Talk to me people, just press the little button and I can hear you…


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: They are not mine but I am having a wonderful time with them.

This chapter is rated T.

A/N: I just can't seem to stop this story, I have so many things I want to see happen between them…I'm going to go a little longer with it so hang on there with me.

By the way B 3B(), I couldn't respond to your review but I really wanted to say thank you so much, your words were very much appreciated.

"Bones are you almost ready?" He was sitting on a stool in the kitchen, drinking coffee and waiting. He saw her coming down the hall in jeans and her bra and he could tell by her expression that she was frustrated about something. She came straight to him and punched him in the arm. "Ouch! What did I do?" His lips went to a pout and he rubbed the injured shoulder.

"I told you not to rush me, it just annoys me and I'm having trouble finding something to wear AND it's your fault. Do you still think I'm beautiful when I'm angry?"

"When you're angry, yes, when you're punching me, well, yes." He was laughing now, and given her look it felt dangerous but he couldn't help himself. "Why is this my fault?"

"_Look _at me." She gestured down her body.

"I love looking at you." His eyes dropped, moving over her with that lazy smoky gaze that she felt like an actual stroke against her skin. He slid one finger along the edge of her jeans, moving up to slowly circle her navel. Her skin tightened under his touch, her muscles twitching as he dipped his finger in and back around. He watched in fascination as her body drew in a shaky breath, his finger moving over her diaphragm, tracing the line of her bra. Her nipples tightened in anticipation as he moved to her cleavage.

"This is more than looking." Her voice had lost its edge, "and this is what led to all the marks on my body, which is why I can't find anything to wear."

"Do you want me to stop doing the things that left those marks?" His voice feigned the sound of being hurt and his finger crested the swell of her breast.

She thought about their morning of love making, the memory of him flushing her cheeks, furthering his current cause. It's all they had done since their nap at dawn, exploring, learning, spending the endless desire. The flush spread down the front of her.

"No, I just want it to be winter so I can wear a turtle neck." She gasped as his palm slid over her, cupping her, feeling the weight in his hand, the nub hardening in response. He was laughing, so often surprised by her. "We have to get ready to go, Angela will call if we're late." She leaned forward and kissed him, her tongue sliding across his and away much too soon. "We'll finish this later, I promise."

"I'm ready, I was waiting for you." He immediately put his hand over his arm where she had previously struck him and smiled at her. She smiled and shaking her head walked down the hallway to figure out a shirt. He watched her retreat, her shoulder blades moving in her muscled back framing the long line of her spine to where it disappeared. He sighed, resisting the urge to follow her to the bedroom and convince her they could be late. He knew she wouldn't take much convincing but they did need to be able to leave the house and act like other people for a short while.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

They both hesitated at the door of the Jeffersonian, Temperance recalling the shock she felt at seeing David in that uniform and then realizing too late what was happening. Booth squeezed her hand as they passed through the doors, in his minds eye the video of her smiling and waving to him before going inside played on an endless feed. He thought for a while that might have been the last moment he would ever see her. Neither one of them spoke but they slowed their pace and let the memories wash over them, behind them and into the past.

"Hi Sweetie," Angela pulled her in for a crushing hug and was a little surprised at how tightly Brennan responded. She walked up to Booth and put her arms around him, "I've earned hugging rights of this man." He returned the affection and acknowledged within himself how genuinely happy he was to see them all. He reached out and shook Zach and Jack's hands while they all commented on how good they both looked.

Watching her glance around the lab with a certain look of longing in her eyes, Zach took the opportunity to ease her mind. "Dr. Brennan, I have made duplications of all case files and tracked our progress on current cases for your review when you return. It's all on your desk along with dvd logs of the examinations and all the bodies. If I have missed anything please let me know." He smiled shyly at her, "not that there is any rush, I'll keep track of things until your return, whenever that is." She smiled, noting that less than a minute in the door he was seeking her approval. She made a mental note to speak to Goodman and remind him that Zach functions much better if you take a moment to tell him he's doing a good job.

"Thank you Zach, I'm sure it's all in perfect order, I've heard you have been doing a very thorough job in my absence." His smile and slight blush satisfied her.

Hodgins was next, "when are you coming back because if I have to continue to work with that over educated pompous arrogant narrow minded stuff shirt, I will lose my mind. The man has a catastrophic inability to commit to an opinion and absolutely no idea about the functioning of the real world."

"Jack! Give her a minute to breathe, she'll be back when the doctors have cleared her, now down boy." Angela, turned to her favorite couple, noting that Booth had taken her hand and that Brennan hadn't even noticed.

Booth held up his free hand, "hey, how about I go pick up Wong Fu's for everybody and in twenty minutes we can all sit down and eat and get caught up?" He felt her squeeze his hand and couldn't suppress the smile.

"Bones, if I could see you in your office for just a moment and then, Angela she's all yours until I get back. Zach and Jack why don't you two see if you can scrounge up drinks and get us set up in the small conference room." They all nodded their approval of the plan and moved to follow his directions, including Brennan who walked him to her office where he pulled her inside and closed the door.

He pressed her against the wall, his body flush against hers. "Are you okay with me leaving you to go get the food or do you want to ride with me?" She knew why he was asking and was also aware that he didn't want to do so in front of the others.

"Thank you for being discreet and it's okay, I'm okay here with Angela while you're gone. I'll wait until after we eat to give her the gift so we can both be here with her, okay?" His mouth was moving over her neck and he lifted his lips to tell her that it was a good idea. He moved up to her mouth, kissing her with slow smoldering passion. She tilted her head and let her whole body sink into him, the subtle act of surrender stirred his arousal. He broke away from her, stepping back slightly.

"Okay, if we continue for much longer I won't be able to walk out of here." He placed a finger under her chin and a chaste kiss on her lips, "I love you, I'll be right back." He knew she needed to hear it and that their anxiety about harm coming to each other would dissipate over time.

"I love you too, and be careful." She hugged him tightly to her and then released him, opening the door as she heard the tell tale click of Angela's steps approaching. He walked away from her and she pushed at the urge to call him back, suppressed the irrational panic inside her that harm was bound to come to him as soon as he was out of her sight. She took a deep breath and mustered a smile at Ange as she entered the office.

"Honey there's a button undone on your shirt, try to pull yourself together. Now this is the first time we have been alone so talk to me, he has obviously been good for you because I have never seen you so relaxed and comfortable in your own skin." Temperance was listening but reached to fix her shirt when she noticed the button was hanging by a thread.

"Damn it my button is falling off, do you have a needle and thread in your office? I can't just leave it open all the way down the front."

"Of course I do, I'll be right back but don't think you're changing the subject. Be prepared to talk to me when I get back, with details!" She was gone in a flash and true to her word back just as quickly.

"Angela shut the door so I can take my shirt off for a minute and fix this." She quickly shut the blinds and the door, turning the lock and then turning back around. She gasped loudly when her eyes landed on Brennan.

"Jesus Bren, you look like you lost a fight, is that a _handprint_ bruised onto your hip? I am actually jealous. Does he look this bad?" Temperance was frozen, caught like a deer in headlights and cursing herself for not thinking before she stripped off the top. Angela stood, staring at her.

"Yes, it's a handprint, no you're not getting any details and I don't know which one of us looks worse I suppose it's a matter of opinion. Although that reminds me I do have to cut my nails." Angela burst out laughing as she realized just how much she had missed her friends' blunt conversation.

Temperance was grinning because despite everything, thinking of him made her do that and she understood, even without Angela's proclamation of jealousy that what they had was not commonplace, it was the kind of thing you waited a lifetime to find.

Temperance stitched quickly, "Ange, stop staring at me."

"I can't help it, your body tells a story, and he's been all over you, you can't even stop smiling. Oh, honey you really do love him don't you?"

As Temperance knotted off the thread she looked up at Angela, "yes but Ange, it's scary, it's so much bigger than anything I've ever felt before and I'm still learning to deal with it. I've had a lot going on actually and he's been so understanding, so patient and gentle. It's good, better than good, it's amazing." She was putting her shirt back on, buttoning up and arranging herself for comfort, the smile still curled across her face.

"Bren I'm so happy for you and I hate to say it but I told you so, that man just had magic chemistry with you. I have to tell you though if this is him being gentle, you two are going to kill one another." She was very amused by her own comment.

Tempe was blushing deeply, "and another thing, don't mention the handprint to Booth, he felt terrible when he saw it."

"You know Bren I've been meaning to ask you, I know when you and Booth got together because he had to tell us when he read the e-mail, but how did that come about?" Temperance paused, recalling the events took her back to the day David was in her home but the part that was dear to her was her beginning with Seeley. She started with the dream and David being there and Angela reached over and took her hand. Once she passed that initial event it was easier to recount the rest of it, editing as she went for the sake of her own privacy.

When she finished Angela was beaming at her, "that's so romantic Bren, that will always be your 'how we got together story', the dream exchange, you don't even have to mention David by name, just wipe him out of it. Your dream would make a remarkable painting, I may borrow the image one day, if that's okay with you." Angela notice that her friend was suddenly distracted, fidgeting in her seat. "Bren, is it okay with you?"

"Is what okay?"

"My using the image from your dream as the basis for a painting? Sweetie, are you alright?"

"Yeah Ange you can use it, I don't mind. Do you think Booth has been gone a long time? Shouldn't he have been back by now?" Temperance rose and walked to the door, unlocking and opening it, followed by the blinds. She had a need to see so she would know as soon as he appeared.

Angela knew it was trauma behavior but she wasn't used to seeing Bren so anxious without reason. It was going to take time for her to relax and believe that he was safe. "I'm sure he'll be here, you know how unpredictable traffic can be." Even as she finished speaking Tempe's cell phone rang.

"Brennan." Her heart was racing, even though she knew it wasn't rational, she hated this feeling. She sighed heavily immediately after answering and then a smile crept across her face and into her eyes as she listened. She was off a moment later, far more relaxed. "So, where were we?"

"Is he on his way?" Angela was smiling knowingly, already aware of the answer to her question before she asked.

"Yes. Ange I know it doesn't make sense, even in my own head I know he's safe but I just get really nervous when he's gone and what's worse is that I hate it because it makes me feel like some needy codependent weak emotional cripple. It's so frustrating."

"Whoa there, _needy codependent weak emotional cripple_? That's pretty harsh, you're having some post traumatic stress symptoms. Bren, you saw the man you love die, killed by an old boyfriend gone psycho freak on you. There is going to be a little emotional fall out from that, it's perfectly normal. How many times have you told me about women in all different kinds of traumatic circumstances all over the world and how slow their thinking and behavior is to change even after the threatening circumstances not longer exist for them? Why would you be any different? Sweetie you need to cut yourself some slack, give yourself some time. The more often he comes back to you without harm the smaller that feeling will become until one day it just isn't there anymore."

"I didn't think you were listening when I was talking about all those women."

"I wasn't, most of the time I tune it out but I hear enough to know what you're saying." She smiled endearingly at her friend.

"Thanks Ange."

"You're welcome, it's nice to know that now and then I can help you with something other than what to wear on a date." She laughed and noticed how, as though some radar had gone off, Temperance turned toward the window to watch Booth round the corner toward them carrying three rather large bags.

"A little help here please." He leaned forward and let Angela take a bag from him and then turned and handed one to Temperance along with a brief but intimate kiss.

"Booth! You're going to embarrass Angela."

"We would both have to be naked to embarrass Angela." They all started laughing as soon as the sentence was out of his mouth. "Okay, that being said, lets go find the rest of the squint squad and eat."

"Booth did you just imply that you're part of the squint squad?" Angela's eyes went wide as she spoke.

"Maybe as an adoptee but certainly not as a founding member." He flashed his smile and led the way out of the room.

Hodgins and Zach were in the small conference room. They had set the table with paper plates and silverware and had pulled out all the needed condiments. They smiled as the trio approached, Hodgins was rubbing his hands together.

"I can't wait to see what Sid sent for me today. Oh and Dr. Brennan, there was only one iced tea left so you and Booth are going to have to fight over it."

Temperance set her bag on the table and smiled at Seeley, she tapped her fist to her palm and he quickly positioned his own hands. In a matter of seconds they ran through the three rounds of Rock-Paper-Scissors. It took them a second to realize that the rest of the group had frozen and were watching them with something between amazement and curiosity.

"I get the tea, Booth what do you want to drink? Why are you all staring at us?" Brennan was genuinely confused.

"Booth, you taught Dr. Brennan Rock-Paper-Scissors?" Hodgins left his mouth hanging open after he spoke.

It was Brennan that answered, "yes, why is that so strange, obviously you all know the game and it's a remarkably simple way to make a quick decision."

Angela was smiling broadly. "sweetie, I just think everyone is a little startled to see you playing a game. We always see you in work mode so it's just a little startling, but I think it's good. Obviously Booth is a good influence on you." The agent beamed.

Brennan rolled her eyes, "Angela I'll never get his head back into the car."

Hodgins was digging cartons out of the bags and handing them out to everyone.

Zach looked up, "I never understood the 'paper covers rock' scenario. I mean scissors cut paper and rock crushes scissors are both acts of destruction and therefore a clear win but the paper covering the rock really doesn't bode a clear winner. Symbolically I understand it but it's a flaw in the consistency of the game."

Booth shook his head, "it's not supposed to be analyzed. Is there anything you guys do that you don't stop to analyze first?"

Zach and Hodgins immediately said no at the same time, a second later Jack suggestively amended that there were a few things he did without analyzing. Angela was beginning a lecture on the value of living a spontaneous life and Zach was asking why you would do anything without some level of analyzing. Temperance watched them as she stuck her chopsticks in her container, opting to eat her noodles directly from the box. She was happy, listening to them, being around them, watching them in a way she rarely took time to do, really seeing them.

She realized Zach had spoken to her, "I'm sorry Zach, what did you say?"

"Dr. Brennan, don't you feel that it's necessary to analyze as you go, to prepare yourself in life?" He was desperate for an ally.

Suddenly all eyes turned to her, "Zach I have analyzed everything all my life and although it works well as a security system I'm not sure it actually improves your living. I have recently been exposed to the advantages of being spontaneous and I have to tell you, the greater the risk, the greater the reward. They are definitely on to something." She couldn't stop smiling as she spoke. Angela burst out laughing and Booth couldn't look at her, he was actually blushing a little. Hodgins shook his head muttering 'oh man' over and over and Zach looked perplexed as he tried to process the information.

They moved on to other topics, eating and laughing, the warm affection amongst them obvious to anyone wandering by the room. When they had finished Zach and Jack went back to work, discussing how good it was to see the new relaxed version of Dr. Brennan and contemplating if her return to work would cause the return of her more guarded self. The rest of them cleaned up the room, Brennan was wiping the table when she spoke.

"Angela, Booth and I would like to see you in my office for a few moments, we would like to talk to you about something."

"Okay, first of all, the use of 'we', I just have to say is so cute I could scream and secondly why would you have to take me to your office, you're right here? Is it a surprise? You know how I love surprises. Did you two elope?" She paused long enough to take a breath and Booth jumped in to speak.

"Angela slow down, just come to the office with us and find out what's happening. I will tell you this though, we didn't elope, you're getting a little ahead of us."

"Okay, I have to go talk to Dr. Goodman, I said I could see him after lunch so I'll meet you in there, hopefully it won't be long."

After Angela left they walked back to Brennan's office, he closed the door and turned to her. "You've been quiet, what's the matter?"

"It's just strange to be here and not be in the middle of a case, to have everyone working and not know on what when I'm usually the one instructing them. It just feels strange that's all."

She had turned and was looking through the slats of her blinds, carefully watching the floor of the lab as though it held some secret she was waiting to hear. He came up behind her and slid his arms around her waist and she sank back against him, loving the solid feel of him behind her. He thought back to when he had first met her, how her spine used to stiffen at his touch. He leaned his head down, kissing the creamy column of her neck, sliding his lips up to her ear.

"Temperance, in another week you'll be back to work and one day after that this place will consume you again. I don't harbor any illusions that your passion for your job will change just because you have another passion now." He paused, running his lips and tongue around the ridge of her ear, his warm breath sending a chill down her arms. "Let's enjoy these last days together, before our jobs take us back over and we no longer have time for a leisurely game of chess, or a leisurely game of anything." His arms moved up her body, his thumbs grazing the bottom curve of her breasts. He wanted to take her here, in this place that would soon steal time from them, a place that would draw half her thoughts and call to her, dividing her attention. He had grown accustomed to having her focus on him, and only him. Even giving her up to the obsession they shared would be difficult and he understood it so completely. He felt his erection rise between them and she pressed herself more firmly against him. He groaned softly against her ear, stirring her hair and sending a shiver slipping down her spine.

It made her sad to think they wouldn't have time for one another, for this, but she felt the truth of it move through her thoughts like a stone sinking in dark waters.

Even through her clothing her body responded to his touch. She tipped her head to the side and he brought down his mouth to accept the offering, opening his lips against the sensitive dip where her pulse fluttered just beneath the skin, a sensation that made her feel somehow more alive to him. She reached back, grasping his hips and pulling him tightly against her. He smoothed his hand down her abdomen and under the edge of her jeans, snuggling down between her legs and pressing two of his fingers into the slick heat of her. Just as she started to rock her hips against him he heard Angela's footsteps growing louder. He immediately her released her, walking quickly behind her desk and sitting down to hide his current state of arousal.

Temperance stood as though in shock from his rapid withdrawal, staring straight ahead.

"Temperance, sit down on the sofa and look at me, the door isn't locked." She moved slowly and her eyes came to his just as Angela burst into the room.

He smiled up at Angela, "well, that didn't take long, you must not be in trouble."

She grinned back at him, "no, I'm not in trouble. He just needed some files that I was working on for him."

Booth folded his hands and rested his chin against them. Temperance watched him breath deeply, taking in the scent of her from his fingers. She peeled her gaze off of him to look at Angela.

"Bren, what's the matter with you? You're gripping the edge of the sofa cushion like you're really nervous about something." Her brows pinched in confusion. Temperance got up and walked to her bag, retrieving a plain white envelope.

"I am a little nervous. Booth and I just wanted to say thank you for everything you've done for us. We got you a gift, a weekend away to New York. We included tickets to the museum, a shopping spree and two appointments with gallery owners about possibly showing your work. We made it for two because we thought there might be a certain bartender that would enjoy going with you and we figured you would have a better time if you weren't alone."

Angela's mouth was hanging open, her eyes round in surprise. "I can't accept that, it's too much and you didn't have to get me anything, I wanted to help."

Booth's voice drew Angela's attention, "Angela, please take it, it would mean a lot to us."

"Come on Ange, you deserve this, can you imagine how stubborn the two of us together can be?"

Booth started to laugh, "she's right there, you could fight one of us, but not both of us, not a chance."

Angela smile, taking the envelope in her hand, "you two can't make a habit of this, teaming up on me. I don't want to regret all the matchmaking I did to get you two together. I don't know what to say about this, just thank you, thank you both." Her eyes were shining with tears as she moved to hug each of them.

Temperance eyed the files on her desk, stacked neatly with several disc cases on top. The urge to pack then up and take them home was rearing its head within her. She could walk in the door and basically be caught up on every case. Booth's words came back to her and she thought about how she really wanted to spend these last days with him before they were flooded with responsibilities from the outside world. She decided they could wait, her team had already worked them, their sense of need had been satisfied and didn't require her stamp of approval to be valid. She thought about all the things she could learn from a skeleton, a persons life history, but not who loved them or how much, or if they had know how little time they had left.

"Earth to Temperance", Angela had spoken but both of them were looking at her.

"Sorry, I wasn't listening, I was thinking about the files." Angela rolled her eyes. Booth glanced at the desk.

"Would you like me to find a box to pack those in so we can take them with us?" He stood, expecting her to direct him to a place where file boxes were kept.

"No, that's okay, they can wait until I get back, it's not like they haven't been analyzed, I'm sure the team did an excellent job. I'll review them later." She spoke casually as though her dismissal of any work related task was a common event, her voice betraying nothing of the emotion spent to come to this conclusion.

"Wow, Bren, I'm impressed. You choosing the land of the living over communicating with the dead is big news. I have to tell you, I'm all for it, you're way behind on living. Take this hunky FBI guy home now and enjoy the rest of your day, hell the rest of your week. Talk about somebody who deserves it, you've probably already logged enough hours in this place to qualify for retirement." She turned to Booth, "get her out of here before she changes her mind." They were all smiling, gathering their things and making their way out of the office.

As they were walking out the main doors he turned to her, "you know if you want me to go back and get them, I will, at any time. I won't be disappointed; I know you're trying to balance everything. I don't expect you to change who you are, and I understand that your work is a big part of it." She kissed him softly on the lips, rubbing her hand along his jaw.

"Thank you, and I can't promise I won't want them before the week is over but right now I am completely distracted by wanting you." There it was again, her ability to catch him off guard, to lay a simple statement in his hands like a gift, unaware of how it would explode when opened. Her desire mentioned so casually that his penis was answering before his brain could respond.

He was smiling but he quickened his pace to the car, "I take it we're going straight home then?" When did he start calling her place home?

She waited for them both to be seated and reached over, squeezing his erection lightly through his jeans and drawing her hand back, "I'm thinking yes, it seems like straight home is a good idea."

He had gasped when she touched him and was now laughing, "you are a very surprising woman Temperance Brennan, very surprising."

She was laughing, amused more by his shock than anything. "Drive, Seeley." Her voice had thickened.

"Later I'll need to go back by my apartment again, there are some things I need to pick up, especially if I'm picking up Parker on Friday. You know at some point we will need to discuss this living arrangement. It's like we went on a date and just kept on going."

"Do you want to go home? Would you like some alone time? Some time for just you and Parker to spend together?" She wondered if he could hear her heart pounding as she spoke.

"No, no I don't want to go. I don't need anything but what I have right now. It's your space and privacy that I worry about feeling invaded."

"If you want me to say it I will, I don't want you to go. Maybe we should talk about some type of permanent arrangement after dinner tonight."

"Temperance, are you suggesting we move in together?" He was picking up speed, wanting to be where he could hold her, touch her, look at her without breaking his gaze to the road. He waited for her to answer…


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: don't own them but enjoy very much doing as I please with them.**

**Sexually explicit, M chapter **(the last for a while)

A/N: Thanks to all the reviewers, this chapter has something for everyone and ended up being quite lengthy. I encourage those who have asked me plot questions; I always enjoy the stimulation and challenge of explaining my character development or thought process. Thanks for your time and interest and as always, for reading. Although this chapter is long and rambling, I am indulging in my fascination for exploring the actual relationship between Booth and Brennan. Please let me know what you think.

He had seen it, a light flash in his peripheral vision and it drew his attention away from her for that brief second. His brain took in the image of the van, moving too fast toward the intersection to possibly stop; even from a distance he could glean the panic of the driver. His reflexes snapped and as she was speaking the adrenaline in him had already wiped out her voice, flooding him with the rushing sound of his blood, his heartbeat sounding in his own ears. He locked the brakes, slamming the car to the right, hoping to make the turn and keep the car on the ground, forcing the van to come up on his side of the vehicle instead of broad siding them. He heard her scream as the reality wrapped around her. He was struggling to hold on to the steering wheel, pulling the back end of the car around as the van came up beside them.

The tires all screaming, the metal screeching as the side of the car slid along the side of the van sending a shower of sparks between the two vehicles. She looked over to see the arc of fire behind his head, instinctually he leaned away from the door, his profile tense, his eyes wide in shock as he fought to hold on to the car. The side view mirror snapped off, the smell of burning rubber and paint filled their lungs as the two vehicles skidded down the street. It seemed like forever as they teetered together before the road bounced beneath them and the van tipped away from the car, separating and slowing. There was a final slide as the back end slipped to the right before he brought the car to a complete stop.

Neither of them spoke, there was smoke coming from the car and she didn't know if it was from the tires or the hood, heat was pouring in from the floor. She watched him try his door, but nothing happened, it wouldn't open. He looked to her and she opened hers, grabbing her bags and sliding out, waiting for him to follow before moving, unsure of what they were really doing. He took her hands and pulled her away from the car, past the parked cars and onto the sidewalk. She noticed that his airbag had deployed and didn't remember that happening, there was a burn on his cheek. Her face was warm and when she raised her hand she realized she was bleeding, she had at some point struck the side of her head on the window.

He was looking at her injury, "are you okay?" His voice shook slightly and he sounded far away to her and it struck her there was a ringing in her ears. She nodded yes to him and they both turned toward the tall man now standing in front of them. He was what Booth would call African American but Brennan could tell from his sculpted features, high brow and dark shining color that he was actually Nigerian. His lilting accent when he spoke confirmed this for her.

"Are you alright? I tried to stop; there were just, suddenly, no brakes." He was obviously in shock, eyes wide and dilated, his speech sounding vacant. He was in a white shirt and green work pants, trying to grab a late lunch when his brakes failed him.

"Booth nodded at him, accepting his expression of concern. "We seem to be fine, just some minor bumps and bruises. How are you?"

"I think I'm okay, if I can get my heart to stop pounding." His face split into a wide nervous smile that they returned easily within the relief that no one was seriously injured. The sound of the sirens caught their attention and they stood waiting for the local police to arrive.

He knew Temperance was unusually quiet, shock and fear had wrapped around her and in response she sank quickly within herself. She was squeezing his hand and it seemed to him that she was not even conscious of doing it. The police were getting out of their cars and he gently took his hand out of hers so he could produce his license, insurance and badge. A medic came to check them all over, assuring there were no serious injuries being masked by shock. Booth called for a tow truck to take the car to the shop the FBI used. Once they established that it was just an accident and there were no other factors, they cleared the scene quickly, letting them know where they could pick up a copy of the police report for insurance purposes. The emergency tech made Brennan sign a release after refusing to go to the hospital for a head x-ray. She felt the bone herself, she knew she was fine.

A police car waited to take them home, Booth wasn't sure if it was professional courtesy or standard practice but he was grateful. She was uncomfortable in the back of the car, the wired Plexiglas between the seats and the lack of door handles giving her the sensation of being trapped. She understood the security and intimidation aspects of these features but was affected none the less. His arm came around her and she leaned against him, closing her eyes to the confining surroundings and absorbing instead the feel of him next to her. In a matter of moments, she felt the bump of the driveway and she knew they were home.

They walked inside and Temperance dropped her bags and keys on the counter as she moved to the sofa and dropped herself down. She looked at her hands with curiosity, they were visibly shaking. He came over and sat next to her, pulling her to his chest and she wrapped her arms around him. The need to feel him, to be close to him was still screaming within her and she didn't know how to make it stop. She kicked off her shoes and straddled his lap, curling herself against him and tucking her head into his shoulder so her whole body was against him. He tightened his arms around her, sharing the compelling desire to feel her, in one piece, breathing against him, unharmed.

Both of them were fighting the panic that arises after a close call, the drowning rush of fear that comes with the realization that death has reached out and gently stroked your cheek but left you unharmed. Temperance didn't need any more reminders about how fragile life could be, her sensitivity to that reality was reinforced every day by her work and by her own history. For her, life already seemed too fragile, too easy to destroy, too easy to be lost. Her body lifted with him as he drew a deep breath and slowly exhaled, trying to calm and center himself. She moved her hand up to his hair and began stroking her fingers through it, soothing and relaxing him. They sat like that for a long time, until everything within them both was settled again and the urge to whisper 'that was close' had dissipated.

"How are you doing?" She felt his chest vibrate as he spoke, a feeling she loved so completely it made her pause. She made a mental note to herself to be curled up against him when he read to her the next time so she could feel and hear his words.

"Better now. How about you?"

"Well, I'm trying to imagine how poorly Cullen is going to take it when I request my third FBI vehicle in a two month period." He felt her start to laugh against him and began to chuckle himself because no one else would understand how little the car really mattered, how relieved they were that it was the only loss. The laughter seemed to rinse the last of the fear off of them and they relaxed into themselves.

"By the way, that was some good driving. I've never been more appreciative of your quick reflexes." She lifted his hand in hers, curling her fingers between his, bringing it to her lips where she dusted kisses over the fingers and knuckles, moving delicately as though it was the most precious thing she had ever held in her hand.

Her fingers were cool against his hand but her lips were like fire over his skin. He closed his eyes against the sensation, allowing his desire for her to gather in the darkness. She tipped her head and he felt her breath skimming across his neck, then her lips attached, her teeth nibbling the flesh followed by small flicks of her tongue. His whole world was reduced to this one sensation. Her mouth pulled on his flesh and his penis stirred, his need waking, pressing its way between them. He briefly thought that he could orgasm from just this, her mouth pressed against him with such a singular intent.

She was kissing his fingers, recalling the look of them wrapped around the steering wheel as it vibrated under his hands, threatening to be torn from his grasp. Only this image and his profile haloed by the sparks were imprinted in her brain as memories of the accident. So she kissed his fingers and thought about the hundreds of things that his hands did in the course of a day that mattered to her. How he placed them on her hips to pull her against him in that sexually possessive way, claiming her, taking her breath away. She didn't know when she became this, a woman who wanted to be claimed, by him. She tipped her head, taking in the scent that was his alone, feeling her skin tingle in recognition. She leaned forward enough for her lips to graze the cord of his neck where it turned into his shoulder, intending on planting just a kiss but incapable of stopping as satisfaction and hunger filled her simultaneously. It was then that she felt him, pushing between them, up against the core of her, growing. It was the most erotic sensation she had ever known, a bolt of wet heat shot through her as her womb pulsed open with such force that her thighs tightened, her body reaching for him.

His hands moved to her back and she felt him pulling her shirt up, seeking the feel of her skin under his hands. His fingers moved down the length of her spine compelling her to arch into him. She moved her lips up his neck, brushing her cheek against his rough jaw line as shivers rained down her neck and shoulders. She took his earlobe between her teeth, biting softly and then sucking gently as a moan vibrated between them.

Her lips hovered over his ear as her hand slid up into his hair, "make love to me Seeley." It amazed him that the faintest whisper of her voice could carried so heavy a plea. He felt himself grow fully hard, and she pushed her hips against him in response, the subtle communication conveying more than their words were capable of saying. He opened his eyes, met by the flood of desire swirling in her pale blue gaze the sight of her sucking the oxygen from his lungs. His hands moved under her thighs and as he rose she wrapped her legs around him. She laughed softly against him and he smiled down at her, knowing.

"Go ahead and say it, I'd be disappointed if you didn't." He was laughing now too, enjoying this game that had become an intimate conversation between them.

"I can walk you know." She held him tighter as she spoke, emphasizing her intention to stay exactly where she was and amused by her ability to be so humored by a statement that she once spoke so fiercely.

"I know." He carried her to the bedroom, the knowledge of what would rise between them carrying as much anticipation as those early days of exploration. He sat on the edge of the bed, pulled her body away from his and began to slowly unbutton her shirt. She watched him undo the button she had sewn back on just a few hours before and smiled at the link between them of which he was not aware.

He moved slowly, his hands working the material, he whispered as though his voice would be absorbed into her skin, "you know I think about this all the time, how I will undress you, each button, the sound of the zipper on your skirt, pulling your lab coat off your shoulders, how I will untie the knot in the belt of your robe. I know the path I'll take with everything you wear, the way I'll take it off of you so I can touch you." The thought of touching her consumed his thinking, he had to restrain himself from shredding them from her body, intentionally prolonging the moment

"I haven't worn my lab coat…" she realized he was talking about how he had always undressed her in his head, long before his hands found her. "So that's what you were doing all those hours in the lab when you were watching me so intently, undressing me?" He pushed her shirt off her shoulders and down her arms with the reverence of unwrapping something priceless.

A small smile tugged at his mouth. "Sometimes, yes, other times I thought about kissing you and then I would look at the body on the table to control my 'state of arousal' and to refocus myself on the case. For the record, I did spend a good deal of time watching your hands as you worked, imagining how they would feel moving over me." He was blushing, as much from the memory as from its telling. His arm moved around her side and with a flick of his hand he unhooked her bra. The brilliant smile he wore so well appeared and a quiet laugh escaped her. He slid the bra down her arms and off, a satisfied sigh punctuating the garments fall to the floor. Her breasts grew heavy with the weight of her desire for him to touch them.

He had been watching her, while she was anxiously analyzing how she felt about him; he had taken the time to study her. It's no wonder he was so good at loving her, he had been practicing all this time.

She kissed him, pulling his shirt up over his head and moving her hands down the front of him, her nails dragging a path, "and when you thought about my hands moving over you, what exactly were they doing?" She had moved her mouth to his ear and her fingers were deftly undoing his pants. She slid her hand inside, her palm caressing down the length of him, fingers curling around the width of him, taking in the now familiar landscape of his erection. A moan uncoiled from within him as she pumped her hand in a slow steady rhythm.

"Temperance…you are…far bolder…in real life…than I ever…had the nerve…to hope…or imagine." His speech was broken by small gasps as her hand worked over the taunt solid flesh of him. His hands were tightly gripping her hips and he reached for her wrist, stopping her movement and turning to lay her on the bed. He pushed off the remains of his clothing and turned to her, sliding her jeans and underwear over her hips and off before joining her on the bed.

His hand stroked down the center of her body, a languid motion speaking to the luxury of having time. He trailed his fingers over the rise and fall of her, ribs to belly, belly to hip, hip to thigh. His flattened his hand against her thigh and she moved her leg, turning beneath him, encouraging his touch. He felt like a savant, his history strung out behind him in a line of off pitch performances and suddenly this, pure harmony, a symphony flowing from his hands. He played over her skin, stroking, kissing, waking every cell, lighting every nerve until she was wreathing with yearning. She was whimpering his name when he finally entered her, causing the rest of the world to recede; she is whole in a way she will never have the words to explain to him. As he moves within her, her whole body tingles and as the first orgasm shatters over her she arches into him, still rocking from the shock of it as a second tears through her body, taking him with her.

She wondered what time it was, estimating early evening but unwilling to move and risk waking him. How will she manage next week when this habit of lengthy afternoon sex becomes impossible? His head lay on her abdomen where he had crawled up from between her legs and drifted off to sleep, one hand curled across her thigh, the scent of them together laced through every breath he took. She liked the feel of him against her, as if in response to her thoughts he stirred. She ran her hand through his hair and down his back, stroking gently until his body settled. Her stomach growled in hunger, the hours they spent in bed triggering her body's need for refueling.

"Let me guess, you're starving." She jumped at the sound of his voice.

"I thought you were sleeping." His lips kissed her belly and his hand squeezed her thigh before he moved up next to her.

"I was, but your stomach was protesting loudly in my ear. What would you like to do about dinner?" She was just about to answer when he heard his cell phone ring and groaning he leaned over her plucking his pants from the floor and pulling it from his pocket.

He was still leaned across her as he flipped it open. "Booth." He felt her begin to lazily scratch his back so he relaxed, propping himself up on his elbow so the expanse of his chest was not crushing her thighs.

She quickly gathered that it was Rebecca and that she wanted him to take Parker tonight for some reason and keep him through tomorrow. He glanced at Temperance and she nodded at him, letting him know she approved but unsure of why we was seeking her consent. She heard him tell her that she didn't need to drop Parker off, that he would be happy to pick him up from her instead. Temperance realized it was because he didn't want to explain why she would be dropping her son off at Temperance's place and wondered if he was not ready to tell Rebecca or if he was avoiding the mess the conversation was sure to cause. She was a little sad that the complications of the real world were already creeping into their lives. They hadn't seen Parker since he had colored her cast and she felt badly that she had not been herself that day. He had been sitting so contentedly with her it was as though his own intuition had told him to be careful with her. Like father, like son.

Booth had snapped his phone shut and was humming sounds of pleasure as her hands continued to move over the smooth skin of his back.

"I can't remember the last time someone sat and scratched my back. It feels so,…good."

"What time are we picking up Parker?"

"In about two hours, she's going to give him dinner and his bath now since I said we would pick him up. Because Angela went and got him when we couldn't drive, I realized she had never been here and I just didn't have the energy to get into it with her right now." He could feel her stiffen slightly beneath him, just the slightest tug in her thighs warning him that she had drawn herself up against some emotion she didn't want to feel. "Temperance, stop thinking, this doesn't have anything to do with me not wanting her to know about us. I'm proud of having you next to me, I'd tell everyone if you would let me but I know you have your own pace and so do I. I want her to be in a good mood when I tell her so she doesn't take it out on Parker, or me for that matter. I'm not hiding you, I'm taking you with me and if she asks, I'll be honest. I just didn't feel like stirring things up right now, I'm too content." He turned to look at her, "okay?"

"Okay." She held his gaze for a moment, deciding whether or not to continue. "Seeley, how did you know that's what I was thinking?" It amazed her that he addressed things she had only been thinking and had not yet expressed.

"I could feel you tense against me and I knew something was wrong and because I know how you think, most of the time any way, so I can hear you in my head. I know what's going to bother you because it's usually something that would bother me. Then there are times I know just because my gut tells me that's what you're thinking." He couldn't get out the last sentence without laughing. He jumped as she firmly smacked him on the toned cheek of his ass that was so conveniently close. He surprised her by quickly grabbing her wrist, a flash passing across his darkening eyes, "don't start something we don't have time to finish."

She arched her brow at his response and settled on asking the easier question, "don't have time?"

"Shower, dress, eat and drive, as it is we'll have to hustle a little, your stomach was just growling in hunger."

She leaned down to his ear, her hand now caressing the warm stinging print she had left just a moment before, "we'll shower together and eat on the way there." She bit his earlobe, punctuating her statement. A growl escaped him that she knew was hunger of a different kind and he pulled her to him.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Temperance gripped the steering wheel tightly, she was suddenly nervous as they began the drive to Rebecca's house. Unsure of her role here and not comfortable with her minds attempt to label her as Seeley's girlfriend, her thoughts began to wander. Girlfriend was a term for teenagers, she had not thought of herself as a girl since she was fifteen. She thought of herself as his lover but would never use such an intimate term with a stranger. If they decided to move in together she would be his room mate, his live-in, neither of which felt in the least bit appropriate. There was the new term, significant other. Other what? It made no real sense. The world was so full of labels, titles, categories. Temperance liked when things fit, when there was a name for an item and that's just what the item was, nothing more. Your femur is always your femur, your tibia is always your tibia, this she could understand. Why did this all have to become so difficult? When they arrived was she supposed to wait in the car? Go up to the house with him? She liked to be sure about her place in every situation. It had been a long time since she had been anyone but Dr. Temperance Brennan. She had been Angela's friend and now and then someone's date but this fell into that grey zone of social delicacies that she had neither the time nor the inclination to learn.

"Booth, do you expect me to get out with you and go up to the house?"

He glanced over at her, her eyes were fixed on the road but she had a look of agitation. He knew that look; something was stirring in that beautiful head of hers.

"Well yes, I thought we would just walk up and get him, why?" He was watching her carefully, looking for clues.

"I'm just trying to figure out my place here. How are you going to introduce me to Rebecca?" Her voice had risen just slightly and he knew she was getting to what really mattered.

"I thought I would tell the truth, _Rebecca, this is Dr. Temperance Brennan, the woman I love, my partner, my friend, brilliant anthropologist, gifted writer and amazing lover or mind blowing fuck depending on her mood._ How do you think that'll go over with her?" He was chuckling in that deep sexy way he had, enjoying his knowledge of her sexual self and watching the blush bloom in her cheeks.

"Very funny, I'm being serious, what do you consider me?" She was flattered by his words and a bit surprised by the flutter in her belly at his use of the term 'mind blowing fuck'.

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that you have already thought about every relationship term ever used and disregarded them for one reason or another so let's not waist time. Why do I have to call you anything? For right now, why can't I just introduce you, as you?"

She was quiet for a moment, turning it over in her head, seeing how it felt. He was giving her the last of the directions and she realized this was going to be an ongoing issue with all the people they met. It was frustrating to her to have something she could not define. She tried to relax as they pulled in front of the house. Seeley popped out of the car and came around to open her door. She glanced at him as she climbed out, but didn't bother telling him she could do it herself.

The small white house was a suburban cut out of the outer D.C. area and although the neighborhood was a good one, Temperance had always thought the homes and landscaping lacked imagination. Every house was a carbon copy of the next one, she thought Angela's term for it was interesting, vanilla. This was a very vanilla place. She almost started to laugh when the door opened and Parker came rushing down the walk toward his father, an excited squeal of 'daddy' coming from him as he ran.

Seeley scooped the boy into his arms, spinning with him before they both settled into a crushing hug. "Hey bub, how is my little man today?" The smile he wore when holding Parker was like no other, it was a look of love and pride and fear and such genuine happiness that it was impossible not to smile in response to just seeing them together.

"Good. I have my pajamas on but not cause I'm going to bed, I'm going with you, right?" He was obviously anxious to have confirmation that his father was indeed picking him up and taking him home.

"Yes, we're taking you right now." Booth nodded toward Temperance at the mention of we and Parker turned his gaze to her.

"Hi Dr. Bones, are you coming home with us too?" Parker's dark eyes were so much like his fathers that Temperance sometimes found it disarming.

"Well I can't wait to hear the answer to that question." Rebecca's voice from the doorway drew all of their attention.

Booth jumped in right away, "hi Rebecca, this is Dr. Temperance Brennan. Temperance this is Rebecca Porter." He watched as both women took a half step forward and politely shook hands.

"It's nice to meet you. I assume you're the bone lady with the dinosaur at work. I've heard a lot about you." She smiled tightly and Temperance could see the underlying hostility and insecurity swirling within this woman.

"It's nice to meet you too. Parker is such a beautiful, well behaved child, you must be so proud of him." She could see that Rebecca was caught off guard by the compliment as she nodded her head in agreement.

"He is a very good boy." Before she could continue Booth jumped in, seizing the opportunity to get them out of there.

"If you want to grab his duffle bag and back pack we'll get out of your way. What time do you need him back tomorrow?" He was trying not to sound rushed.

"It won't be until late in the day but if I'm running too late I may leave him with you until Wednesday instead. If that's okay with you, then I'll just keep him Friday instead. I may as well tell you, we're going up north for the weekend with Jack. He has a cabin on the water, you know fishing, swimming and all that, it should be fun for him."

"Rebecca, I need his information and the location of the cabin in case something happens, you know the deal." She ducked quickly into the house and Temperance could feel the tension emanating from Seeley. Rebecca reappeared and handed him the bags, which was going to be too much. As he went to set down Parker, the child put his arms out to Temperance, seeing an opportunity to continue to be held. After just a second of hesitation she took him, setting him on her hips as his small arms came around her neck. He hugged her and Temperance suddenly understood that although Parker didn't understand the adult implications in the conversation he could feel the tension between his parents and Temperance was a safe comforting set of arms.

She turned to Seeley and smiled softly, "Parker and I are going to go wait in the car so you two can get yourselves figured out." With that said she turned and walked toward the car, with Parker's head tucked comfortably against her shoulder, both parents watching with matching expressions of shock.

Parker was a big boy to be carried but she managed to get him to the car and inside without a problem. Despite her statements to not wanting children, they always responded well to her. Temperance knew what it was like to be a child that people talked down to, a child that people assumed didn't understand what was going on around her when in fact, she was usually way ahead of them. She always kept that in mind when dealing with them. She got down to their level when she spoke to them, she was always honest when they asked her a question and she listened when they spoke to her. She knew that developmentally, they were survivors, moving through the day just trying to get their immediate needs met, not much differently than most adults really. Her sincere and honest approach to them usually ended in an immediate attachment, by instinct they trusted her.

Once he was strapped in, Temperance climbed into the back with him, settling comfortably so she could glance up and see how things were going with his parents. She could hear the feint sound of their voices being raised so she turned her attention back to the child.

"So Parker what have you been up to lately?"

"I went to pre-school last week and we painted a picture of a flag, there are a lot of stars on the flag and there are stripes. We had red and blue popsicles for a snack and it freezed my brain. Eddie dropped his in the sand outside and Miss Kelly made him throw it out. I got to play with trucks and we sang the song about the hole in the bottom of the sea. We had ciminon graham crackers and we had to lay down and nap but I didn't like that part. Is my daddy coming?"

"He'll be here in a minute, he's just talking to your mom and getting your things. Are you hungry? Because your dad and I haven't eaten yet and we thought we would stop somewhere on the way home." She forgot how talkative he could be, he was certainly a child that took everything in as he looked around.

"I'm hungry, I could have some ice cream because I had my dinner and I ate all my peas and I don't even like peas very much. Does the restrant have ice cream? Where's your cast?" He reached out and patted her arm where the cast was when she saw him last.

Temperance looked up as she answered him and saw a very angry Booth headed to the car. "The doctor removed my cast last week because my bone is all healed so my arm is better." Booth climbed into the drivers seat of the car, tossing the bags into the seat beside him and glancing at her in the rear view mirror. He held out his hand for the keys.

"Seeley we've had enough excitement with cars today." She was staring at him in the mirror, not wanting to say anything about the accident in front of his son. "Parker and I were just discussing the possibility of him having ice cream at the restaurant since he has already had dinner, peas and all." She slowly handed Booth the keys, and watched him take a deep breath, calming down and settling himself to drive, her message to him loud and clear.

"Okay, dinner for two adults and ice cream for one boy, coming up right away." He pulled out and tried to adjust his mood to match his playful tone. In the back seat he heard his son giggle and then cheer for ice cream.

"Do you like ice cream Dr. Bones?"

"I do Parker but I still have to eat my dinner before I can have desert."

"You should have macaroni and cheese for dinner, that's what I had and it's good, you would like it. I don't have school tomorrow so I can stay up late. It's not late yet, it's still light outside. I have a bike. Sometimes we go to the park for me to ride it."

He listened to them discuss everything from bikes to Bob the Builder, a long conversation in which his son explained all the characters, shocked that Dr. Bones didn't know who they were. She was patient in a way that he rarely got to see, focused on the conversation as though it was as important as a case. His son reveled in the attention, talking all the way to the restaurant.

Dinner went smoothly, Booth having talked Parker into a chocolate shake to minimize the mess. He was surprised at how often his son turned to Temperance with a question, having learned quickly she would take the time to answer him. He had crawled back and forth between them and had fallen asleep with his head on Temperance's lap mumbling even as he drifted off. Seeley bent to lift him from her lap, pausing to place a kiss on her lips as he passed and they went home.

Temperance sat sipping a cup of tea as Booth put Parker to bed. The domestic feel of the evening did not escape her. She thought back to the moment she carried Parker to the car, her automatic instinct to protect him. He attached himself to her so easily, loved and trusted her so openly that she felt fear for him. She remembered what is was like to wander through the world unaware that your life could change, that the people you loved could disappear. It was a hard lesson and one that she realized she was still felling the effects of even now. That must be why she felt so insecure when Seeley was gone, for her loving anyone would always be linked with the knowledge that she could loose them. She could see how Seeley was protective of his son, trying to shield him from the realities that awaited him, protecting not just the child but his childhood as well. A man, a child, this was not her life. It felt as though for the last few weeks she had been in someone else's life, it just happened to have her in it. Could she live this life every day, with so many emotions, worries and things to think through? It made her head spin and she wondered how her mother had done it. She must have loved and worried about them all the time, she must have known every time her father left the house that there was a real possibility he would not be coming back. How did she cope? Did she have it in her to trade the live she knew, the safe solitary life she knew, for this whirlwind of complicated emotions? As she thought about all these changes she looked up, there leaning against the door frame was the man that represented the eye of the storm.

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Okay, press the button and like a cyber net intercom I'll hear you…

how he tucked an errant hair behind her ear, how they curled around his coffee cup in the morning, how they danced through the air when he was discussing something about which he was passionate


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: They are not mine but I am grateful for the opportunity to play with them.

Rating: It's a T this time folks.

A/N: I am exploring their relationship, comments and opinions are always appreciated. Thanks for reading and please review, it's the only way for me to know if you like it. To those of you that have been, thanks, your comments and suggestions are an inspiration.

His brow was furrowed and his jaw moved with the clenching she knew signaled he was fighting stress and anger.

"What's the matter?"

"I have such a head ache, this whole thing with Rebecca just has me tense. Parker is finally asleep though."

Temperance thought for a moment about what she could do for him, he had offered her space and comfort when she was upset but he wasn't like her in that respect, he liked to work things out. "Why don't you take one of those pills from the hospital, it'll help relax you. Then you can grab some lotion, come and sit in front of me on the floor and I'll rub that tension out of your neck while you tell me about it. Okay?" He stood there looking at her for a moment. "Seeley, go, I'll warm you some tea, it'll help you sleep."

He walked toward the bedroom, in search of his pills and she went into the kitchen to heat his tea, hoping that her offer was what he needed. She was steeping the tea when she felt his arms come around her and she leaned back against him. They stood quietly leaning against each other until the tea was done. She broke from his embrace, carrying the tea she smiled at him, noting that he had changed into grey sweat pants and a white t-shirt and situated herself back into her seat in the living room. She tossed a pillow on the floor in front of her, "Take off your shirt and sit, did you take your pill?"

He nodded at her, already looking tired enough for her to have known that he had. She watched him pull off his shirt, a sight that even in her tired state caused her belly to stir. She was captivated by his muscles moving beneath his tight flesh, the shadow of soft hair trailing down his torso to where his pants lay over his hips. He folded himself into a sitting position, pushing out the coffee table so he could stretch out his legs and settled comfortably between her knees. He took a drink of the steaming tea as she warmed the lotion between her hands. She began at his neck, working her hands into the tight muscles, finding a rhythm to her movements that was comforting to both of them.

She waited until she felt him start to relax, "now tell me about this situation with Rebecca." He tensed under her hands but she continued to rub the blood flow back across his shoulders.

"Parker knows I'm his father, I know he does, but Rebecca has been seeing this guy and he's spending a lot of time with Parker. He's going to take Parker camping, fishing and boating and I'm glad that Parker will get to do those things. I just feel like he should be doing those things with me. His memories of the first time he goes fishing should be with his father, not some jerk that his mother is dating whose name he won't even remember. She plays these games, she only let us take him for these two days and remained quiet about you being with me because she knew she was taking him up north on Friday. I don't even know who this guy is, or if he's okay for Parker to be around. She had no intention of letting me have him this weekend. It feels like he's slipping away from me and there isn't anything I can do about it." His words were slowing as the pill began to wear on him but the pain in his voice was strong in every word. She was working deep into the tissue of his shoulders, trying to concentrate as she pushed back the ache in her chest from hearing the raw emotion in his voice. She waited a few moments to be sure he was done and to gather her own thoughts.

She leaned down, wanting him to hear her on a personal level, to have her words taken in by him and not spun into the room in front of him.

"So, tomorrow why don't you take him to the pier, rent a boat and take him fishing for a few hours. That way you can teach him about boats, lifejackets, all the safety issues, fishing and hook baiting. It will be a short trip but he'll have spent it with you and he'll remember his first fishing lesson was with his father. Besides, you'll feel better about him going if you know there are safety issues you've gone over with him yourself. You may not be the one to do everything with him for the first time but you have to remember that to him, everything you do with him is special because it's you. You started this conversation with the most important information; _Parker knows you're his father._" The thought of sending them off tomorrow gave her mixed feelings, some space would probably do her good, she wasn't craving it but she knew herself well enough to know she shouldn't wait until she was. On the other hand, the thought of being by herself gave her a prickly feeling, thin shards of anxiety that moved through her.

"It's a great idea, why don't you come with us?" His voice was soft and she knew he was struggling with both fatigue and emotion.

"I would love to spend the time with you both, but we'll have the rest of the day together and this should probably be an experience for the two of you." She kept her voice soft so she didn't betray her own hesitation.

"Are you going to be okay alone for that long?" She smiled behind him, wondering why she was even bothering to try to hide how she felt.

"It's a nice short time for me to find out, besides, I have to start to deal with that, we do go back to work next week and although I'll be around other people, I won't be around you. If I start to feel shaky I'll call Angela to come over for a while, she could always take an early lunch."

"Okay, for a little while, I'll pack a small cooler in the morning and we'll stop by my place to pick up my gear." He rubbed his face, trying to concentrate.

"Seeley, like you keep telling me, we can't solve it all in one day; we'll take it one problem at a time. Let's go to bed, we're both tired and you can finish making plans in the morning. Parker will be up early." She stopped rubbing and squeezed his shoulder.

"Okay, let's go." They got up, taking tea mugs to the sink and turning off lights as they headed down the hall. Temperance was ready and climbing into bed as he went into the bathroom, she stretched out, waiting for him, taking in his scent from the pillow and smiling. She thought about how quickly she had grown used to having him in her bed, how her perception had subtly shifted to seeing it as empty without him in it. He came into the room and slipped under the covers, his eyes heavy with sleep, he hadn't bothered with his t-shirt.

He stretched out, his body releasing a sigh of appreciation as he relaxed against the mattress. He lifted his arm, smiling in the almost dark as she curled against him, her head coming to rest on his chest. Gone were the days when he had to pull her against him or tuck himself behind her and hope she wouldn't reject him. She lifted her head and kissed him, his lips parted, soft and searching, sparking the slow burn between them. She drew gently away from him and placed her head back on his chest.

"You need to sleep." He was pulled under by fatigue much like his son, resting against her and still trying to talk to her to explain that he wasn't tired.

She smoothed her hand over his chest, in wonder at how he made her feel even like this, with touches stolen in the dark; she slipped her tongue along her bottom lip to taste the last of him before closing her eyes.

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Temperance popped her eyes open and lay very still, it was dark, something had woken her. Booth lay in his drug induced slumber snoring softly beside her. Then she heard it, a whimper from the other room, Parker. She slid quietly from the bed and moved quickly down the hall, when she pushed opened the door she found him, on the floor, curled up in a ball, crying. Temperance gently picked him up, half expecting him to struggle she was surprised by how tightly he wrapped himself around her.

"I want my daddy." He spoke through short sobbing breaths.

"I know you do little man but he's sleeping." She hoped using the term of endearment that his father had used would bring him some comfort. She sat on the bed, rocking him as she spoke.

"The blue monster was chasing me and I couldn't find my daddy." Her chest was tight with empathy for the lost sound in his voice. She ran her hand through his hair, smoothing it back from his damp face.

"Did you fall out of bed? Are you hurt?" She was concerned about having found him on the floor.

"No, I was trying to find daddy. The monster was chasing me and I woke up and I couldn't find him." He was still gasping as he spoke and she realized that he woke up disoriented in this place he didn't know and in the dark couldn't find his way to his father so he curled up on the floor thinking he was alone. Nothing tore at Temperance's heart more than a child that thinks they've been left alone. Her eyes began to tear as the understanding of his fear welled within her.

"Okay, here's what we are going to do. First of all we're going to go get you a glass of milk, then we'll go down the hall and I'll show you where your dad is so you know how to find him if you need him." She stood without waiting for an answer and carried him to the kitchen. In the dim light she moved easily through the rooms she knew but felt him tighten around her. She sat him on the counter next to the refrigerator, her mind flashing to the moment it almost took his father from them, sending a chill down her arms before the cold air struck her.

He drank part of the glass and had calmed down while she stood against the counter in front of him. "Parker, I want you to listen to me very carefully." He took the glass from his lips, his hair stood out in all directions from the heat of his nightmare, his cheeks were flushed from crying and his large brown eyes stared at her expectantly. "In your dream, when the blue monster was chasing you, your dad was there. He was coming to save you, but you woke up before you saw him. That's what your dad does, he saves people and you would be first on his list. When you go back to sleep I want you to think about your dad showing up and capturing the monster and sending him to monster jail then scooping you up in his arms to take you home."

His eyes grew large with interest and she could see him thinking about this possibility. "There's a monster jail?"

"Yes there is, and all monsters go there and they can't ever get out. So this blue guy is on his way." This elicited a smile from him and she realized she had been waiting for just that. She was stretching reality with the monster jail but metaphorically speaking it was still the truth. She didn't think she should tell him that anyone that harmed him would more likely be shot to death by his father, but the jail part would work. The rest of the tale came from her own mother, who always told Temperance that if she would just go back to sleep she would see her father coming to save her, that in waking too soon she had missed her rescue and she knew as a child she believed it. "Finish your milk and we'll go to the bathroom, check on your dad and then go back to bed. Morning is still a long time away, tomorrow I'll go to the store and get some night lights so you can see to walk to the bathroom or to come wake your dad or me if you need to, okay?" He smiled at her brightly, the Booth smile, a look that would ease his way through life in ways he was too young to imagine. Her mind skipped over the fact that she had just included herself in this child's safety net, not yet ready herself to think about what that really meant.

She took him to the bathroom, suppressing a laugh as she watched him stand at the toilet, yawning and peeing, a perfect reflection of his father. They washed up and she held his hand as they went back to his room, then walked down the hall to where his father was sleeping peacefully. She held him and let him lean over and give Seeley a kiss on the cheek, a wish for sweet dreams from his son.

"Will you stay with me?" He looked scared and she knew there would be no way to refuse him.

"For a little while, until you fall asleep, is that a deal?" He nodded his agreement but she noticed as she lay next to his small form in the bed that he wrapped his little fingers around hers to make sure she was there.

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Booth opened his eyes and knew immediately that she was not in bed. The first grey lights of morning whispered through the room and he could see enough to know she was not in the room, the bathroom door was ajar, the room dark. He listened carefully, expecting to detect her movements in the office or kitchen and was surprised and unnerved by the silence echoing back at him. He eased himself from the bed and moved quietly down the hall, noting there was no light coming from any of the rooms; he thought briefly that she may be sitting in the dark in the living room, with perhaps a cup of tea, ruminating on one topic or another. He stopped when he rounded the corner, so fully expecting to see her there that he was startled by the empty room. The hair on his neck stood up as he moved back toward Parker's room to check on his son. He stood stunned in the doorway as his eyes took in the sight before him.

Parker was indeed in bed, angled in his sleep, his leg was over Temperance, his hand caught in the ends of her hair. She had her arm on his calf, either a reflex from being kicked in her sleep or a lingering touch from when Parker fell asleep he couldn't tell. He wondered what could have happened in the night to have brought her in here without him knowing or hearing. He covered his son and gently stroked Temperance's cheek until her eyes fluttered open. He quickly put a finger to his lips and waited for her to get her bearings before holding out a hand to her. She carefully moved herself from the bed and took his hand, following him like a lost child herself back to the bedroom, back into their bed. It was early, they had some time, she tucked herself against him, breathing in the scent of him and sighing contentedly from her half sleep.

His voice rumbled from beneath her, "What happened that took you to Parker's room?"

"He had a bad dream, you were sleeping, so I went." She kept it short, figuring she would tell him the details later and not wanting to disrupt this time with words. It was her favorite time with him, before the world was awake, when the promise of light bathed everything in a luminous blue grey haze and he was warmly wrapped around her.

"Thank-you."

She cooed a response, thinking she would doze until his hand found her breast and she smiled. He rolled her onto her back, pushing the t-shirt up and away from her, watching her pull it over her head as he coaxed her willing nipple to a hot peak. He leaned down and made her promise to be quiet while his body carried her to a place from which she would have promised him anything.

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Temperance could hear them in the kitchen getting ready, she smiled as she looked for her clothes, the scent and touch of him still on her, still in her. She wandered into the kitchen and found Booth closing up the cooler, both of them were dressed and Parker was just finishing his breakfast.

"Dr. Bones, we're going fishing, we're going fishing on a boat! Are you coming with us?" He could hardly contain himself, the smile shining from his face with uncontrolled excitement, drops of milk flying as his spoon flipped around in his hand.

"Fishing! Well aren't you the lucky boy. No, I'm afraid I can't go, I have some things to do here today but I promise you I'll be here when you get back." Without comment or hesitation she reached for a rag and wiped the counter as she spoke to him, stroking his hair as she passed him. "I hope you catch a big one so we can eat it for dinner, fish will make you grow big and strong like your dad."

"I found my daddy just like you showed me." Temperance suddenly blushed, looking to Booth, wondering if her sleeping naked state had been seen as Parker entered the room, but he was looking the other way so she assumed no harm had been done. She made a mental note to at least pull on a t-shirt when Parker was spending the night and even as the thought formed she recognized the slice of family life she was projecting. Her stomach lurched and she had to turn her thoughts in another direction.

"Good job Parker. Do you feel better this morning?"

He said yes through a mouthful of cereal but she had her doubts that he really recalled why she was asking.

Seeley was packing their snacks, observing the two of them together he noticed how she wiped up the milk without correcting him or crushing his enthusiasm with anger, how she stroked his hair and attended to him before even saying good morning to him. As he watched her with his son, it saddened him to think that she didn't want children, that she would deny herself this experience. He knew it was a topic they had not discussed, that she hadn't told him why she felt so strongly about it but he was aware that she strongly expressed the opinion along with great doubts about ever changing her mind.

When he turned back to them Temperance was eating a bowl of cereal along with Parker, discussing the characters on the box. He caught her eye and winked at her and she smiled in return.

"I'm done with my cereal daddy, let's go fishing."

"Okay buddy, go try to go to the bathroom one more time before we leave, it's a long drive, then wash up and brush your teeth and we'll be on our way." As Parker ran down the hall Seeley came over to her, tugging her into his embrace and holding her tightly.

"Last chance to change your mind." He nuzzled against her neck, kissing her as he swept back her hair.

"No, you two need some father and son time, I'm going to be fine. Actually I have a list of things to do to keep me busy."

He put his finger under her chin and lifted her gaze to his, "Temperance, I have my cell phone, you call me if you need anything and remember that I love you, no matter where you are or what you're doing, I'm out there loving you. Okay?"

She nodded, "I love you too, just have fun, be careful and come home to me."

"Deal. By the way, I wanted to thank you for getting up with Parker last night; I must not have heard him after taking that pain pill."

"Funny, I thought you thanked me this morning."

"Speaking of which, you should brush up on your definition of quiet while I'm gone." Her eyes sparkled with the mischief of the statement and he kissed her, giving her one last squeeze as Parker came bursting into the room.

"I'm ready to go." The front of him was mostly wet.

"What happened to your shirt?" Parker looked from his shirt to his father, wiping his hand across the water in a misguided attempt to fix the problem.

"I can't reach." His explanation complete in his own mind he picked up his back pack and walked over to Temperance with his arms in the air. She bent down and hugged him, a little overwhelmed when he kissed her cheek and gave her one more squeeze. He marched to the door, turning to look for his father. Seeley put out his hand to her and she realized he was taking her car, a dilemma she hadn't thought about until now. She went to her purse and pulled out her keys seeing her disposable camera from work and thinking they should take a camera. She made them wait while she got her digital and she gave it to Seeley with a kiss and a request for plenty of pictures when they returned.

Once they were out the door Temperance began the dishes, trying to avoid the immediate silence and the cold feeling that caressed her belly with every breath. As she walked down the hall the small stabs of anxiety began in her chest. She ran a hot shower and took her time, letting the heat and steam sink into her. Her body was stiff from the accident and sore from her activities with Booth, she couldn't help but smile. She knew she loved him, but she wasn't prepared for all the complications and other emotions that would come with it. To think she had been worried about how they would work together and they hadn't even gone back to work yet. Her head was spinning and she had too much to do this morning to try to sort this out in the shower.

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She called Angela and asked her to pick her up so she could talk to her and then borrow her car. Angela was already on her way to work so Temperance only had a few minutes to get ready.

Angela watched her come from the building, in jeans, a shirt, unbuttoned twice she noticed and without a tank top underneath, flat sandals and her hair down. She had never seen Temperance Brennan look more fluid, more graceful or more beautiful, she was at that moment a woman coming into her own. She smiled out of simple joy at her friend's happiness.

Temperance had barely shut the car door when Angela's questions began.

"First of all you look fabulous, you're practically glowing. Now, that said, what's going on? Why does Booth have your car? Please tell me you two are not fighting already, I swear that would break my heart."

"No, Ange we aren't fighting, things are good, a little overwhelming, but good. Booth has my car because we got into an accident with his on the way home yesterday so we're back down to one car until the FBI reissues him another one. So Booth needed my car to take Parker fishing this morning, which brings me to why I'm here."

"Okay hold on a minute, I just saw you yesterday and since then you've crashed a car, picked up a kid and started to refer to your house as home for you and Booth. I can't believe I'm about to say this but I can't keep up with your life these days."

Temperance turned to look out the window, "that's the problem Ange, neither can I; it just feels like too much."

"Oh sweetie that's just because you haven't let yourself feel all these things before, how long do you have Parker?"

"Only for two days, but this is very different from when he used to just come see me at work, he's a child with needs, hungry, tired, scared, thirsty and although I can meet them, I just didn't think this through." Her voice faded with the last statement.

"Bren, you're not thinking this whole thing was a mistake, are you?"

"No, it's not that it's a mistake, I could never walk away from Seeley now anyway. There have just been so many changes in my life and in me that I'm not sure who I am now because I don't feel like the woman who worked at the Jeffersonian five weeks ago. Where is she?"

"Hey, slow down, first of all change doesn't mean something bad has happened and you're growing, having a life, falling in love, you're allowed. You're just so used to defining yourself by your job that all these other roles are freaking you out but you're going to do fine."

"What if I don't Angela, what if I mess this up? What if I'm not good for Parker, or Booth for that matter? What if I can't do it all? Then what?"

"You don't have to do it all, did you forget Mr. Tall Dark and Sexy, he is doing it with you, and I mean that more than literally. You aren't alone in all this, you aren't alone in the world anymore Bren, you're attached to someone, in the way that matters; in the way we would all like to be one day. You just have to learn to give your brain a rest, you're going to wear yourself out thinking about all this, just live it sweetie, live it one day at a time, that's why it comes to us that way, because that's all we can handle."

"Did Booth tell you to say that? Because now you sound just like him."

"He's a smart guy." She was smiling broadly now, hoping that Temperance had actually heard her. "So tell me about these errands you have to run today." They were just pulling into the Jeffersonian parking lot.

"Parker had a nightmare last night and couldn't find his way to our room to get to his dad, he was in unfamiliar surroundings and must have become disoriented so he just curled up on the floor and cried." She stopped abruptly and Angela knew there was more, that she had suddenly edited herself, so she waited. Temperance looked over at her, wearing that pained guarded expression that Angela knew so well. "He thought he was all alone and I understood how frightening that had to be for him. I don't want him to feel that way; he's so young and vulnerable. So, I decided to go to the store and get some night lights, a lamp for the bedside table, a bedspread and some children's books for the room so he feels a little more at home when he's there."

"I thought you didn't really like children Bren."

"Ange, why does everyone get this wrong? I never said I didn't like children, only that I didn't want any, there's a big difference. I actually understand children better than I do most adults and I don't have a problem taking care of them, I just don't want any."

"Yeah, that's what you said…" They were sitting in the parking lot now, in the car, neither of them moving to get out.

"Angela don't do that, I mean it."

"Okay, okay, lets get back to the stuff for Parker, I think it's a very nice gesture and both father and son will be very pleased. What kind of design did you have in mind?"

"Well he talks all the time about this Bob the Builder character but he also loves dinosaurs so I'll have to see. I don't really know what they have out there in the way of children's bedding. I know more about purchasing a llama."

Angela burst out laughing at the image of Bren in the desert bartering for an animal. She exited the car and when Temperance came around to the driver's side she gave her a big hug. When she released her, she looked her right in the eye, "Bren, you're doing fine, have more faith in yourself."

"Thanks Ange, for the car and the advice. I'll be back in a couple of hours." With that she headed off to the store.

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"Sweetie, what _is_ all this? I thought you were just getting a few items."

"There's more in the trunk, I just wanted to get enough for it to look right. Did you know they don't make dinosaur sheets for a queen sized bed but they do the comforter? Does that make any sense to you? I ended up getting navy blue sheets; they go with the room and the comforter. The dinosaurs were nicer than that Bob the Builder; they're all primary colors on a blue background. They aren't anatomically correct but the sales woman pointed out that they looked friendly."

"Bren, I hate to interrupt but what's the rest of this? I've never seen you do so much shopping at once in the entire time I've known you." Angela was still in shock as they made their second trip carrying packages.

"I only picked up a couple of things beyond the original list. The lamp, nightlights, a rug, a comforter and sheets, some books and book ends, and a few toys that the woman assured me were age appropriate. Oh, and a step stool so he can reach to wash his hands and brush his teeth." She was lost in the thought of the project, it was really only a few things that when put in the room, changed the look and feel of it.

"If I had realized you bought all this, we could have come right back here instead of stopping to eat. I'd love to help you but I do have to get back to work. From what I can see, you did really well, they're both going to love it."

Once Angela left Temperance went into the room, she removed her books from the bookshelf, took the brass lamp from the nightstand and stripped the bed. It took her longer to remove the items from their packaging than it did to fix the room. She handled the books carefully as she lined them on the shelf, she loved new books, in her childhood they were her constant companions. She put the lamp in the room and night lights in the hall and the bathroom. She placed the coloring book, drawing pad and crayons on one of the shelves with the Bob the Builder truck next to it.

When she was finished she stood in the doorway and admired her work, the room looked good, she hoped he felt at home here. Even as the thought came to her she stepped back from the door. What was she doing? Trying to make a home for Parker? Why? She wondered briefly if it was because of Seeley but her thoughts came back to something between her and his son. It struck her all of a sudden, physically, like an actual blow, she backed up from the door and blindly moved down the hall to sit on the sofa.

In her head, like flipping through a deck of cards, she could see all the rooms she had tried to call home. She would place the few personal items she kept with her on the nightstand and try to make it feel right, crying herself to sleep in a strange bed, in a strange house. Her chest bloomed with pain at the memory, the ache of loss feeling as though it hollowed her out. She had always mourned the loss of her parents, her brother and even the innocence of her childhood but it had only just occurred to her that her careful avoidance of settling down with anyone came from the loss of her home. A place that was hers, filled with the people that loved her, touched by all the memories of their days together, familiar, warm, safe. That's why she wanted Parker to have a room, because when she picked him up off the floor what flickered through his eyes was that he wasn't at home. She had seen it but been unable to name it even as the reflection of her own life had stared back at her.

She couldn't stop the tears from coming and the sobs that felt as though they would break her in two. She pulled her knees to her chest, holding herself, trying desperately to contain the waves that washed over her, threatening to drown her. She wished for the comfort of Seeley's arms and slapped back the thought, feeling needy, weak and out of control. She cried out in frustration, wanting it to be over, willing it to end. She remembered coming down the stairs in the morning to the smell of pancakes, her mother already in the kitchen, the feeling in that moment one she would never have again. A flash of her father brushing polish into his good shoes, the rich oily scent filling the air, it had all been so familiar, so comforting. Every sound and scent that was woven into her daily life was ripped from her, a home, a family, you could have it all and you could lose it all. At the thought of losing it all Booth and Parker popped back into her head and she looked at the clock. They should be back soon, she needed to pull herself together, she didn't want him to find her like this, unraveling.

She forced herself to stand, she was trembling, her walk to the bathroom was hesitant. She moved Parker's new step stool and ran cold water, sliding her wrist under the freezing stream to shock her body into a calmer state, a cooler place. She glanced in the mirror and realized with horror that she looked like shit, her make up was everywhere, her eyes were red, the lids swollen. She cooled a washrag under the water and washed her face, holding the cold against her eyes like a compress. Her breathing was slowing and the hitch in her chest had stopped. A home, a family, the words bounced around inside her head and she pushed her wrist back under the water, forcing herself to concentrate on the cold. Her hair rose away from her skin as a chill skimmed over her flesh. Pushing herself to regain her composure she turned off the water and dried herself off, dropped some eye drops in her eyes to reduce the redness and applied a touch of make up in an attempt to restore herself to normal.

She went into the kitchen and made some hot tea, curling both hands around the cup even as she let it steep to warm her freezing hands. She heard the door and took a deep breath, hoping to stay on steady ground.

Parker burst through the door at a run so she bent down to greet him. She thought he wanted a hug but since she had come down to his level he just ran into her arms.

"Dr. Bones, we went fishing and we caught fish and I went on a boat and wore a life jacket cause you always wear a lifejacket on a boat and I held a worm and a grub and we have fish." As he rambled she scooped him up and set him on the stool at the counter, moving her tea over and sitting next to him. She never took her eyes off of him, not wanting to look at Seeley yet for fear of shattering.

"So you brought home some fish for lunch?" She tried to be enthusiastic, to match his mood and mask her own.

"Yes and daddy cleaned it and cut it and that was stinky. I have my own fishing pole, daddy bought it for me and I got to drive the boat! Can I have something to drink?"

She rose and took his back pack from his shoulders laying it carefully on the counter, "You got to drive? How was it? Do you want milk or juice?"

"Milk, it was fun and really loud and windy." Parker looked up and she could see him making eye contact with his father before turning back to her, "milk, please." She smiled at him, knowing he was just prompted to remember his manners and poured him his milk.

"Just a small glass because we're going to eat in a little while, okay? When you're done with your milk you can wash up and then I have something to show you."

"What Dr. Bones? What are you gonna show me? Is it a surprise?" He drank down his milk and went to get down from his chair.

"First of all, let me show you something in the bathroom." He took her hand and jumped down.

"Temperance." His voice was soft but firm.

She heard him but didn't turn, "I'll be back in just a minute."

Seeley knew the moment he entered the room that something was wrong, off, with her. As he emptied and wiped out the cooler and put the fish in the sink he watched her with Parker. She was engrossed like she had been earlier but there was another undertone to her movements, to the feel of her. She wouldn't look at him, wouldn't even turn her face in his direction, all of her body language screamed avoidance. It wasn't exactly the homecoming he had been expecting.

She came down the hall toward him, he watched her take a deep breath and put on a smile before lifting her face to him. He captured her gaze and held it, ironically squinting as he tried to read her.

"What?"

"What's up with you?"

"Nothing, why?"

"Because you're acting strange. Did something happen while we were gone?"

"No." She didn't sound convincing, not even to herself.

"What did you do all morning?" In the second that she looked up at him he realized what didn't look right to him. His voice softened, "hey, have you been crying?" His hand reached out but Parker came rushing down the hall and she slipped from his grasp.

"Daddy, daddy, Dr. Bones got me a stool in the bathroom so I can reach, come see." He had grabbed his fathers hand and was pulling him toward the bathroom. Seeley was confused, she went out and bought him a step stool? He let Parker take him, admiring the stool and watching as his son demonstrated how it worked.

"Let's put your stuff away and get those fish cooked." He came back down the hall where she was standing, leaning against the kitchen counter holding Parkers backpack.

"Come on Parker, I'll go with you." She walked back to the bedroom door with Parker while Booth watched, utterly baffled by her erratic behavior. He was still watching them when Parker opened the door and he heard his son yell wow. He quickly crossed the distance to the doorway and froze, his mouth hanging open. She was crouched down near Parker, telling him about the room, why she picked each thing, how she had thought about him in her decisions. She showed him the lamp and told him about the night lights in the hallway and the bathroom. Parker was asking an endless stream of questions, his eyes bright as she spoke to him, smiling and rocking from foot to foot with the inability to contain his excitement.

"Daddy, see my room, see the dinosaurs, look, look!"

His voice was hesitant, "I see Parker, what do you say."

"Thank you Dr. Bones," he hugged her and she squeezed him tightly against her.

"You're very welcome, I just wanted you to feel at home." Her eyes were heavy with tears, she was afraid to blink.

"Hey buddy, how about we take your crayons and drawing pad into the living room and get you set up at the coffee table. You can draw Dr. Bones a picture to say thank you while I get our fish on the stove."

"Okay, let's go." He collected his things and headed out the door, pausing to look back into the room and smile.

Temperance stood and moved to leave the room when he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. She couldn't fight him, she didn't have the energy, the feel and scent of him holding her as tightly as his arms. "I don't know what to say about this, thank you doesn't seem like enough." He kissed the top of her head, "I just wish you would talk to me about what's going on with you."

Her voice was so soft he could barely hear her, "I can't talk about it right now and besides you have fish to cook."

He tightened his arms around her, "later then." She hugged him tightly and then released him, taking his hand and heading to the kitchen.

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I had to stop somewhere but obviously this isn't over. Press the button, I can almost hear you.


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: They are not mine but as always, I am enjoying doing with them as I please.

A/N: Okay, thanks for bearing with me. This is a tough chapter, I'll be interested to see what you think, I believe there are things they had to work out…opinions, comments and observations are always welcome.

Later, he said they would talk later. How could she explain the emotional roller coaster she had ridden while he was gone? How could she allow him to see the part of her that turned from the idea of having a family, of being a part of a family? How could he want to stay in a long term relationship with a woman who would never want to have his children? She wished she could show him how she felt, somehow take his hand and move it beyond her flesh, into her center so she could place his palm against the dark cold skin of the fear living inside her. She just didn't have the words for this, feelings are not concrete, the terms are vague and left mostly to the perception and interpretation of the receiver. She liked things to be logical, solid, universally understood.

She ran the water, filling the sink to do the dishes, once again finding the task soothing. She could hear Seeley and Parker in the living room, playing some make believe game of construction and demolition, their drama accented by fits of laughter and one of them yelling boom. The sound of them behind her made her smile and at the same time sent a chill through her as her memory echoed back the sounds of Russ and her father. She sank her hands into the hot soapy water, letting the heat spread into her. It felt good; it seemed to her as though her hands had been cold all day. She concentrated on her task, moving quickly through the few dishes and pans.

She heard them come into the kitchen before she turned around. They were a mess from roughing around, matching heads of unruly hair wearing big smiles and sun kissed cheeks.

"Parker and I are on our way to shower and get into pajamas."

"To get the fish stink off us," Parker interrupted with a grin.

"Yes, to get the fish stink off of us and he was telling me about monster jail." Booth had his eyebrow raised in inquisition and Temperance realized she had forgotten to catch him up on that conversation. She was still laughing softly about the fish stink.

"Well then you go work on the fish stink and when you come out you can pick out one of your new books to read."

"Parker, go get your pajamas and brush your teeth and I'll be right there." The child rushed off without hesitation, still filled with what Temperance thought was an amazing amount of energy. She was tired just watching him.

"I forgot to tell you, his dream last night was about a blue monster chasing him. I told him that he needed to go back to sleep because you were on your way to rescue him, to put the monster in jail and he had just woken up too soon. He seemed to like the idea of the jail and he was willing to go back to sleep." She paused for a moment, watching his face, there was an odd expression on it that she didn't understand. "That is what you do, put the monsters in jail. Did I do something wrong?"

He came and put his arms around her, "no, not at all, you did a great job. I couldn't have done better myself."

"Then why do you look so, sad?" He was confusing her.

"I'm fine, you're really good with him and he responds well to you. He talked about you half of the morning, the other half he asked me questions." His tone was one of exhaustion and she let out a small laugh. A sound he realized he hadn't heard much since he'd been home.

"He does ask a lot of questions but that's because he has his father's curiosity. You better go wash off your fish stink before he comes looking for you." She smiled and gave him a small kiss, then moved from his grasp and put some water on for tea.

Temperance went and put on sweat pants and a t-shirt and came back into the kitchen to pour her tea. The picture Parker had drawn for her was on the refrigerator, even as she passed it, aware but not looking at it, her shoulders tightened. She felt as though that one piece of paper consumed the room, a stamp, mailing her well manicured life off to familyland. She made her tea and sat down, relishing in the few moments to rest her weary body.

It wasn't long before Parker came running to her with a book in his hand. He climbed without hesitation onto her lap and she had to remind herself to relax. He was leaning against her, his hair damp from his shower, his body warm against her, smelling of soap and powder, she put her arms around him to hold the book and adjust him so they were both comfortable. Her hand grazed his foot, it was freezing.

"Parker your feet are freezing, let's cover you up." She pulled the blanket off the back of the sofa and tucked it over and around them and began to read.

Seeley finished picking up the bathroom and came into the kitchen, he stopped when he could see them. Parker was sitting on her lap lying comfortably against her, he had turned slightly, his head against her breast, tucked under the blanket. She was reading softly to him, pausing to answer his questions and talk about the pictures on each page. As she went to turn the page she gently stroked his hair and Seeley could see he wouldn't be awake for long. He wondered at how she could be this woman with his son and yet not want to be this woman. She said something and Parker laughed, his heart tightened watching the two of them, wanting to freeze time and hold this moment forever. He softly stepped from the room and came back with the camera, he shot off two before they looked up, in the third they were smiling at him. Even as he took it he knew it would be a photo that would stay in his wallet until the day he died because of how he felt the moment he took it.

He joined them on the sofa, listening as she read, Parker wasn't asking questions anymore, he was just listening and slowly drifting to sleep. When she felt his weight give fully against her she knew he was out but she read a few more pages before moving. She set the book aside, pulled the blanket against him so the cool air wouldn't disturb him and stood carefully. Seeley also stood, he went ahead of her and pulled back the covers so she could lay him down. After tucking him in she gently kissed his forehead, none of what was going on with her was his fault. She stepped away and watched as Seeley kissed him good night, whispering something in his ear before leaving the room. She checked the night lights as she walked into the hall and he realized those were also new to the house.

They went back to the living room, Temperance's heart was pounding, she couldn't think of a diversion, a place to go or a task that demanded her attention. She thought with longing about how effective burying herself in work had been, the urgency of a case a convenient deflective shield. She felt uncomfortable in her own skin, unable to launch her flight response and unable to stay with any real level of comfort. He sat turned toward her on the sofa, just looking, not saying anything. She took a sip of cold tea and he suppressed a laugh at the face she made in response.

She finally looked at him, "what?"

"Nothing."

"You're just staring at me."

"I'm just sitting here Temperance."

Her name was a stroke, that wasn't playing fair. "Do you want to watch television?"

"Television? _You_ want to watch television?" He exaggerated an expression of shock.

A small smile pulled at her lips.

"I don't know what to say, I'm just not good at this, I'm not good at talking about my feelings, especially things that feel so private. I know how that must sound to you."

"Hey, I've already seen your privates." He paused and she burst out laughing, he couldn't help himself, he was laughing too. It just seemed so strange to him that a woman with whom he had shared so many difficult and intimate things would have something she felt was too private. He wanted her to be able to talk to him about anything; he wanted that trust between them. He was trying to pull himself together but they were both having a hard time. "I don't want you to think I'm not taking you seriously, it's just that you feel so close to me, I just want you to be able to talk to me. I hope you have enough trust to know I'll listen. There is a little more to me than the over protective alpha male man that you first met."

"How is it that you always make it seem so easy?"

"Because sometimes it is, just start with this morning and tell me what happened, then we'll figure it out together from there."

The laughing had relaxed her, she took a deep breath and began to tell him about waking up and finding Parker, explaining how something had happened to her when she took him from the floor but she had not known what. She understood how he felt alone and afraid so she decided to go get nightlights and a few things for his room. It all appeared like such a simple gesture, to go shopping and get Parker some things, after all, he would be coming over again and she wanted him to feel comfortable.

She called Angela and borrowed her car, Seeley nodded in understanding, he'd been wondering how she had gotten around for the day. After Angela left she put the room together and it was at that point she asked herself why she was doing it.

Seeley was listening to her, watching her try to maintain a sense of objectivity as she recalled the events. It all seemed so normal it was hard to figure out what had gone wrong. She pulled herself inward and stiffened her shoulders and he knew she was struggling.

"I thought at first I was doing it for you but I knew that wasn't the real reason and then it was like a floodgate was pulled on my memory. I could see all these places that I had lived, all the beds that weren't mine, all the strangely decorated rooms. I thought about my house, before my parents disappeared, the sounds and smells that made it feel familiar and safe, filled with the people I loved." There were tears running down her face, but she didn't move to wipe them away. Her eyes were focused on the table in front of her, fixed in concentration, trapped within her past.

"You take it all for granted, the millions of things that make up your home, layers of events. I try to remember the way our house smelled, my mother's pancakes, my fathers shoe polish, dinner from the night before, candles burning, Russ' leather jacket, perfume, cologne, laundry detergent, the way my sheets smelled when I got into bed at night. All of it, my family, our lives, the things we did _every_ day, made the place I lived my home. I have always missed my parents and Russ but standing outside the room, after I fixed it for Parker, I realized that I was trying to make it feel like home to him, like home. Since I was fifteen, I haven't woken up in any room and felt like I was home." Her breath was starting to hitch softly as she spoke and he fought the urge to take her into his arms. He knew, in his gut and in his heart that she had to fight her way out of her past if they were going to be able to have a future.

"I used to try to recreate it, in my foster homes. I would put pictures of my parents on the nightstand and some things from our house, but it never worked and I would always wake up feeling worse, more aware of what I had lost. When I picked Parker up off the floor, that's what I saw in him, the look of panic, glancing around and finding nothing familiar, knowing you're not at home. I didn't want him to feel that way, I've felt that and it's terrifying." She paused, her slender fingers moving to her throat, "I need to get something to drink." She went to get up and he put his hand on her arm, standing suddenly himself. He turned abruptly and moved into the kitchen.

"What would you like? Milk, water, tea, juice?" He heard her request for tea as he reached the counter. He wiped the tears from his face that he didn't want her to see. Her words moved through him, splintering into some place within him, too deep for him to ever reach to remove them. The image burned behind his eyes, of her holding Parker on the floor of the room with this fear in common, offering him empathy instead of just sympathy as she rocked him. He didn't expect it to be this hard, he thought he could listen to her; hold her, sooth it all away. He was so naive. He wiped his face and went to retrieve her cup, bending to kiss the top of her head as he took it from next to her.

The water was hot, he reached to pour it into her cup, opting for juice for himself. While her tea was steeping he slipped down the hall and looked in on Parker, a sigh of relief heaving from him at the sight of his son sleeping peacefully under the dinosaur quilt. He came back, adding honey to her tea, wiping his face one last time and returning to her. She sat where he had left her, as though on pause, remaining in the moment.

"In these last few weeks, since we have been staying together it's been happening and I didn't see it, but I felt it. There is the scent of dinner in the kitchen, of sex in the bedroom, your cologne, dish soap, and now with Parker here, all the sounds that come with a child and his picture on the refrigerator, his baby shampoo in the bathroom, the sound of the two of you laughing and playing. All the pieces were being layered until I found myself part of the one thing I swore I would never be apart of again, a family, making a home. I said I didn't want children because I knew what that meant and how one day you can wake up and it's all just gone. I couldn't survive that again. I didn't want this, I swore to myself, no children, no family." She was crying again, lost in the conversation, rambling from her head and heart. She suddenly turned her gaze to him and the emotion there felt like a weight settling on him. "Do you understand? I didn't want children because I didn't want to love anyone that much. What kind of mother will I make going into it not wanting to love my child?"

She fell into a deafening quiet, having run out of words and given him the darkest of her fears, released the beast into the room between them. She had nothing left. Time stood still.

He wanted to say something but he knew to ask her anything would be pointless, to tell her he knew how she felt would be a lie. His brain dismissed everything that came to his lips. He thought about the men he served with and how between them confessions were made and nothing needed to be said, the understanding was enough, but he wanted to give her more than that. So he said the only thing he knew to be true.

"I still love you. If you thought that telling me would make me want to leave, you were wrong." He stared at her, letting her search his gaze for some flicker of doubt, weighing the truth of his words.

He did notice two things about what she said, she said 'I didn't want children' as though it was a feeling in the past, and 'what kind of mother will I make' as though it was already a plan in the future. He didn't want to point these things out to her, knowing she would scoff at the psychology of it. In interviews he had learned, if the person was using a past tense about the victim before being told they were dead, you usually had your killer. The brain is an amazing thing.

"Temperance, I do have one question for you." He watched her body tighten for what ever was coming. She nodded at him. "All these fears in your life stem from you protecting yourself by not opening up and loving anyone completely, so my question is, what are you going to do now that you already have?" She jumped slightly as though startled.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, does this mean you want out, out of this relationship?" He held his breath, waiting and hoping that she hadn't given up on them before they had a chance to begin.

She shook her head no, unable to verbalize the intensity of her answer.

"Does it mean you don't want to be around Parker any more?"

Again she shook her head no.

"Are you pregnant?"

Her head snapped up and a truly horrified expression crossed her face, "no, definitely not."

"Then what does this mean to us? It's too late to defend yourself from something that has already happened. You're like a cop pulling your gun at the scene when the perp is already down." This brought a small smile from her. "Here we are, we just keep moving forward, even if it's slowly. I'm not here to pressure you."

"Seeley, I know you want children. I know you want the whole picture of a wife and kids and a white picket fence. I can't expect you to walk away from everything you want out of life."

"You haven't asked me to and I'm not walking away from anything I want, as long as I have you. You don't have the ability to predict the future Temperance, even if you listed a hundred scenarios, what actually happens may not be on the list. So, let's just deal with what we have now. Do you want to spend some time at my place, divide this feeling of nesting? Do you want to move to a neutral place together? Do you want to continue on the way we are? Now that we've started to create this feeling of a home, what do you want to do?"

"Does it matter to you, where we end up?" She seemed genuinely interested in his response.

"No, I have a different definition of home than you do; it was created by different experiences. When I climb in bed at night and you curl against me, slide your arm across me, then I'm home, nothing else matters."

Her chest ached and her pulse quickened in response to his answer. She thought about how she had felt, most of the time it had been comforting, only when the anxiety kicked in did she want to run. She was tired of thinking about all of this, tired of fighting it all. How could she argue with a man who thought being home was being in her arms?

"Can we just stay the way we are? See what happens? But Seeley, about the children, please don't stay with me thinking that I'll change my mind."

"I don't know what you'll do and I'm not going to try to guess but if you do change your mind, you will tell me, right?" She looked at him and he could see her forming an argument. "Humor me Temperance, just this once."

"Yes, I'll tell you if I ever change my mind." She was shaking her head in that way, in disbelief that she had conceded to him.

"You know what, we've been trapped here all this time, we have to go back to work next week, so let's take off for a few days, relax. We can pick a place and after we drop off Parker, we can just go."

"Who gets to pick the place?" There was a small smile tugging at her lips.

"I'll play you a game of chess, winner picks our destination." His smile was back and she noted how much better she felt just seeing it.

"Okay, set it up." She took a sip of tea to hide her smile and started thinking about where she wanted to go.

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Next chapter they get some play time and things lighten up a little, let me know what you think, don't forget to press the little button so I can hear you.


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: They are not mine and still I am allowed to play with them. I love that.

**WARNING: Sexually explicit chapter, M rating.**

A/N: Well it was time for a little action, they've been so emotional. So I hope you enjoy it. This is really a long one, no puns intended.

"Checkmate." He studied the board, knowing she was right. He had seen the move coming and the point came when he quit fighting it. They had been playing for just over two hours, he was tired and a small part of him was curious as to where she would take them. At least the time playing seemed to have relaxed things between them.

"Congratulations, that was a great win. You get to choose our vacation destination, so, where are we going?"

She smiled at him, the idea of getting to plan a trip for them surprisingly appealing to her. Even before she had moved her first piece she had known, if she had won, where she would take him. She only had one place that she returned to throughout her past, a place she went to when she needed to write, to hide or to heal.

"I'm not telling you exactly where we're going and you won't guess, so don't try. I'll give you a list of what you need to pack and make a few calls in the morning, although I think I can get on-line and book our flight tonight."

"We're flying? That makes me a little nervous. You're not taking me to some ancient ruin in the middle of the Amazon or anything, right? Because I was really thinking more down the lines of beaches, you know like maybe on an island. This is a vacation; maybe we should define that first."

She was laughing at him. "You're just going to have to trust me. I'll plan this little get away and you can plan the next one. I kind of like the idea of getting to make all the decisions and surprise you." She had a wicked grin on her face.

"Oh, yeah, because you don't get to make all the decisions now, right? Imagine that, Dr. Temperance Brennan likes to have control, who would have guessed?" He was laughing softly as he spoke, watching her feign shock.

"Are you making fun of me? I'm sure you don't want to do that or your next four days could be spent volunteering at a medical facility for the testing of colonoscopy procedures. That could be arranged you know."

"Okay, see that's not funny, this is where we need to work on your sense of humor because that is just not funny. Stop laughing."

Temperance rose, still highly amused, "I'm going to go book our plane tickets and make a few calls to see about some other arrangements." She rose and headed toward her office. He got up and went to check on Parker and then to throw some basics in a bag until he got his packing list from her. Having done all he could, he went back into the kitchen and was rummaging around in the refrigerator when she walked back into the room.

She reached around him, slipped her hand into a compartment on the door and stepped back, "are you hungry?"

He was looking at her oddly, "not really, just thirsty but I should have water since we're going to bed. Any luck with the tickets?"

"Yes, we're booked on a flight at twelve so we need to finish packing in the morning, then we can go to the airport after dropping off Parker. You'll need jeans and t-shirts, several sweat shirts, comfortable walking shoes, your bathing suit and one nice shirt. I think that covers it." She was smiling at him.

"You're not going to give anything away are you?"

She was smiling broadly, "no." She walked down the hall to the bedroom as he got his water, checked the locks on the door and turned out the lights. He smiled as he passed the nightlight in the hall, Parker's nightlight.

He entered the bedroom, setting his water on the nightstand and sitting heavily on the edge of the bed, she was in the bathroom, the door was slightly ajar and he could see her. His face tightened in confusion as he watched her filling a syringe from a small vile with quick efficiency and then turn, rubbing a pad across a spot on her hip. She dropped the shot in without a flinch and disposed of the needle and other items he couldn't see into a red sharps container under the sink. He was stunned, trying to imagine what she would be injecting, he knew she wasn't diabetic and as far as he knew there was nothing wrong with her. Then it hit him, what if there was something wrong? Would she tell him?

She exited the bathroom, undressing comfortably in front of him, pulling a tank top from her drawer. He watched her, amazed that he belonged to this intimate part of her world, appreciative of every line of her body as she moved.

She turned to him, "what's the matter? You look strange."

His mouth moved before he could edit his words and he blurted out, "Temperance, what are you injecting into yourself?"

She was initially surprised and then walked over and climbed onto the bed behind him, tucking her chin on his shoulder so she could speak into his ear. "Birth control Seeley, every three months, no ovulating, no mistakes. Don't look so panicked; what did you think I was doing?"

"Honestly, I had no idea; I didn't know you could take injections for birth control. I guess I should have asked you before now what it is you use."

"I don't consider it your responsibility. I've been sexually active for almost half my life; I don't understand women who have accidental pregnancies with all the forms of birth control available today." As soon as she spoke she felt him tense next to her she and realized her insensitivity. "I didn't mean to sound so judgmental; I just know that, for me, it's important to be responsible for myself. It's who I am, so I would never assume that my partner was handling something that would so greatly affect me, I take care of it myself."

He stood up slowly, kissed her on top of the head and wandered to the bathroom stating he was getting ready for bed. She felt badly, she didn't mean to imply he wasn't a responsible adult because he had Parker without planning, but the truth was that he was being irresponsible at the time. If you're going to be sexually active then you need to make sure you have taken the proper precautions, for her it seemed so simple that she marveled at how many women messed it up. She suspected very few women really had an accidental anything but it was an opinion she kept to herself. Rebecca should have made sure she was on some sort of birth control before sleeping with Seeley, and he should have asked if she was before they ever climbed into bed together. She knew he couldn't agree with her on this completely because for him it would be a form of betrayal to his son and that was fine, she didn't need him to agree, just to understand, she didn't have accidents.

She went to the dresser and quickly pulled out a few items from each drawer, knowing exactly what she would need to pack. She had just finished when he came out and while moving past her he grasped her hand and brought her with him. Lifting the covers they crawled into bed and she curled tightly against him.

"Seeley, I'm afraid this is an issue that's going to come between us, this issue of children." Her voice was a whisper.

"Nothing will come between us unless we allow it and I'm certainly not going to allow it. Now, let's put this topic aside, I'm grateful you're so good with Parker and I am more than content to be here with you." He faced her, slipping from beneath her and turning onto his side. He kissed her, to reassure her, to taste her, to say goodnight, but it wasn't enough. He suddenly felt like a man dying of thirst while resting next to a river, a sip would never save him. His hand moved to her hip, under her top, seeking the feel of her skin. She pulled him closer, the desire not just to have him, but to connect with him in this way, without the complication of words, filled her.

He lifted his head, "Temperance, did you look up the definition of the word quiet today?" His smile was tender and he felt the breath of her laugh against his cheek as he dipped to place kisses along her neck, moving down her body, into the river.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

They had dropped off Parker and arrived at the airport in plenty of time to catch their flight. As they approached the counter he looked to the tickets with anticipation.

"Michigan? We're going to Michigan?"

"Yes, to a certain place in Michigan, just reserve judgment until we get there. This place means a lot to me and you'll understand why later."

He was intrigued enough to let it go and see what plan she had to unfold. The flight was long; he slept for a while as she worked on her laptop, waking when a snack tray arrived. She had booked them in first class and he was appreciative as he stretched out his legs, folding the blanket that had been tucked over him as he slept. He had always known she had money but the large condo in D.C. and the pricey car were the only signs of it. She had never acted like a rich snob, an intellectual one maybe, but not a rich one. He knew her books had sold well, the New York Times Best Seller List and all, and there was the movie contract, her job at the Jeffersonian and paid speaking engagements when she took them. He had done the math and knew if she was so inclined she could retire now in a very comfortable lifestyle. He just didn't think about it very often, until now. The plane lurched with turbulence and having put away her laptop, she took his hand. There was still a long way to their destination.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

She was driving the rental car, explaining to him that she knew exactly where she was going and it relaxed her, they were out of the city in no time. He rolled down the window a bit, taking in the air, his body already alerting him to the fact they were far from home, he tried to place the scents, pine, damp leaves, an outdoor fire and something that told him they were near water. The air was cold, much more so than D.C. and the edges of all the trees lining the road were changing to Fall colors. To Seeley, it appeared that the trees had their branches dipped in paint, vibrant red, burnt orange, brilliant yellow; he was captivated by the intensity of the colors. When he looked to the horizon again he was disoriented, having not paid attention to where she was going, it seemed to him a labyrinth of winding roads.

"Do you know where we are?" He pictured them as a speck moving across a map on roads with no names.

"Yes, we turn left up here where the road curves, then left again at the old grey barn, down past the house with all the clothes lines and right on the next road. At that point it's through Interlochen and we're there. We're ten to fifteen minutes away."

"As impressive as those directions are, some of us actually go by street names. Does this place have a name?"

"Long Lake, we're turning toward the water now, can you feel the cooler air off the water?" She was smiling, looking so relaxed and yet so in control that he studied her for a moment as the setting sun slanted through the gatherings of slender trees, dancing across her features.

"Yes, and I can smell the lake and campfires."

She was making the turns as promised, "I can feel myself relaxing as we get closer. I've always thought there had to be some sort of natural sedative in the air here, released by some yet undiscovered plant that affects everyone as they arrive."

He was intrigued by her mood, this was a Temperance he didn't know and he realized that was why she had chosen this place, because there was a part of her here that she was offering to him. He relaxed back into his seat as they passed a large complex with signs indicating it was a place called Interlochen.

"What's Interlochen?'

"It's a private school for gifted children."

"Did you go there?"

A sad smile came to her, "no, we were never here long enough for me to attend school there and knowing what I know now about my parents, they never could have registered me in a school for gifted children, it would have called unwanted attention to us. I didn't know about places like this until I was an adult, as a child I wasn't aware that there were other children like me. This school specializes in children with artistic and musical abilities although all their programs are excellent. Most people in the area know the facility because of the concerts held here."

They had turned onto a road that was declared private property, a peninsula stretching out into a large lake. He could see the water on both sides of them now, a narrow road dusted with the first shedding leaves of autumn, winding between two rows of houses all perched facing out to the waterfront. The houses were completely different, ranging from small wooden sided cottages that looked like they were built in the sixtys, not much larger than a garage, to three story multimillion dollar spreads. She slowed to cross a speed bump where a small sign read duck crossing and he smiled at the simplicity of it. He was silently taking in the surroundings, trying to absorb the mood of this place as she had done, when she turned into a driveway.

"We're here." She sighed deeply looking up at the house and then getting out of the car. The house was sprawling, appearing at first glance to be a ranch but once he noted the lower windows he realized there were lower levels built into the sloping land so the bulk of the house was facing the lake. They carried in their bags and he followed her to a bedroom on the main floor where they set them down.

"I have to go check the thermostat and the hot water tank, come with me and I'll give you a tour." There were two bedrooms a bathroom, kitchen and living room with a fireplace on the main floor. All the rooms had full windows along the wall facing the lake, most of the back of the house appeared to be glass. The entire second level was a den with a stereo, television set, video games, two large recliners and an overstuffed sofa.

The third level had two more bedrooms, another bathroom, a utility room and laundry area. Temperance stopped in the utility room and opened the refrigerator, checking its contents. She had pointed out the highlights of each room, the garden off the second level exit, the sofa pulled out into a bed, the house slept twelve comfortably and up to twenty with sofas and sleeping bags. All the rooms were decorated in earth tones from pale gold to deep shades of rust and cinnamon, creating a warmth that seemed to emanate from the house itself. She took him back to the main floor and they walked out back, he could hear the water but it was now too dark to see it, at the edge of the lawn there was nothing but inky blackness, it appeared the world ended at the back of the yard.

"We'll go down to the dock in the morning so you can really see the lake. You've been uncharacteristically quiet."

"It's a remarkable place, did you come here often as a child?"

"We came at least once a summer, no matter where in the Midwest we lived we trekked to Long Lake for vacation. We stayed in different rentals over the years, I know every inch of this lake. We were always happy here and that's probably why I always return." She paused and he knew she was remembering her family but for once she was smiling, they were all good memories. He squeezed her hand. "It's getting late, we should think about dinner, that snack on the airplane was not a meal and I'm starving."

He was laughing, "what do you have in mind?"

"I can just order pizza if you like, there's beer in the fridge, we can light a fire to take the chill off and I'd like to check the local weather and see what they're predicting for the next few days. How does that sound?"

He pulled her to him, kissing her softly, "sounds like a good plan to me."

He made the fire because it was something he knew he could do, she went to order the pizza, turning on the television and flipping to the weather station as she went. She came back, watching him gently fan the flame to life, carefully moving the kindling until the fire was strong enough to add a log. She checked the television, reviewed the weather for a moment and shut it off, it wasn't a weekend for television. She left the room, returning momentarily with a feather mattress.

"Step away from the fire for a moment Seeley." He moved and she spread it on the floor, covering it with a comforter and several blankets. She was piling pillows on the floor as he watched amused. Seeing the look on his face she laughed, "what? I like the fire."

He came up to her and put an arm around her waist, drawing her to him, capturing her lips, he kissed her deeply, his tongue moving over hers with sudden hunger. Her arms came around his neck, holding his head as she pressed against him. His hand moved between her legs, he pressed a small pulsing motion against her and she moaned into him. He released her, a confident grin breaking across his face, "so do I."

She slapped his arm, "I'm going to jump in the shower, there's beer in the fridge." With that said she slipped away from him and disappeared. He opened a beer and walked over to the bookshelf, noting that whoever owned the house also read her books. It must be an old friend of the family for her to get into such a great rental on such short notice; he made a mental note to ask her later. As he was adjusting the logs in the fire there was a knock at the door, pizza had arrived. Seeley opened the door to a middle aged Italian looking man in jeans and a red shirt with Giovanni's scrawled across the front of it.

"How much do I owe you?"

The guy was staring at him suspiciously, "where's Dr. Brennan?"

"She's unavailable at the moment, I'm a friend of hers, that is our pizza is it not?" Booth suddenly wondered why he was explaining anything to the pizza delivery guy, and just how well did he know _Dr. Brennan_?

"She always comes here alone, I'd feel better if I could say hello." The man was looking past Booth into the room, taking what Seeley recognized as a defensive stance, glancing toward the bedding in front of the fire.

"She's in the shower. Is there some sort of problem here?" Because I'd just like to pay for the pizza so you can be on your way." He was starting to get irritated with this guy.

"Look we're a small community up here and we look out for one another, she's had problems with fans sneaking onto her property to try to get an autograph or a book signed before so I'm just trying to make sure she's alright."

"Her property?"

"Yeah, I thought you said you were her friend? You don't know this is her house?"

"Look, I'm her partner and I assure you, we're more than _friends_."

"The FBI guy from her books?"

Seeley smiled then, "yeah, the FBI guy from her books. Can I have the pizza now?"

"Yeah, I'm Tony, my family owns Giovanni's restaurant up here, and we've known the Brennan's a long time. This place is all about respecting the privacy of those that live here, she's one of many famous names on the lake. I didn't mean to offend you." He handed the packages and pizza box to Booth, who turned and set them on an end table.

He was surprised when Tony put out his hand but Seeley reach out and shook it, his irritation fading in the light of all the information. He knew it wasn't the time, but he also knew he would like to question this man about the Brennan family. "Seeley Booth, it was nice to meet you and really its okay, I like knowing someone is looking out for her. How much do I owe you?" In reality it bothered him, looking after her was his job and his chest clenched at the thought that this guy could be one of her ex-something's.

"Don't worry about it, tell the Doc I said hello and to come by if she gets a chance, my mother finished making home made cannolis today."

"I'll tell her and thank you." Booth watched the man walk back to his vehicle before closing the door. She owned this house, he was more than a little shocked. He had just assumed it was a rental, after all she had never mentioned the house or this place to him. He wondered how many other things he didn't know about her. He was unpacking the food when she walked into the kitchen.

"I could smell it from the bathroom and I couldn't wait." Her hair was wet and brushed back off her face and she had pulled on a sweat shirt and jeans, her bare feet looked cold to him on the tile floor. She grabbed two plates, handing him one and proceeded to tear off pieces of the pizza and slide them onto each plate while he handled the breadsticks.

"I met Tony, he practically made me show him an I.D. before giving me the pizza." He observed her carefully but she just broke into a smile.

"They must be busy tonight if he's doing deliveries himself. I'm sure he gave you a hard time because he didn't know you, they know pretty much everyone on the lake, the restaurant has been there for over forty years. It used to be their fathers." She turned and headed toward the fireplace, sitting on the mattress with her legs crossed, close to the fire.

Seeley was unsure how to approach the subject but decided that he would borrow her style and just ask her. "Have you ever gone out with him?"

She froze, wondering exactly what was said in this conversation she had missed. Her first instinct was to be really angry that he would ask but after taking a second she thought about how she had felt in the presence of women she knew he had slept with in the past. She got up and came back with her beer, sitting back down with him in front of her. "Are you asking if I ever had sex with him?"

"I'm asking if you have ever done anything other than run into him at his father's restaurant." His stomach turned and his right hand flexed as he reached for a bite of pizza, trying to remain casual. He knew there had been other men but that was a vague term, _other men_. There was no specific number and other than that psycho David and Michael, both of whom he wanted desperately to punch, there were no other faces.

"Seeley, are you going to ask me that about every man we meet that I knew before you because you're not always going to like the answer." Seeing the look in his eyes, she quickly added, "this time it's a no, we've never so much as had a cup of coffee together, he's married with four children but I have known him for a long time." They ate in silence for a few moments, Temperance moaning her appreciation of the good flavor in the sauce. "What would you have done if I had said yes, and then we went to dinner there one night?"

"I don't know, I guess I would have to be alright with it as long as he didn't come over and put his hands all over you like he still had some right to be there." He was sounding angrier than he intended.

"Look, we're bound to run into people from both of our pasts; I have to deal with Rebecca on a regular basis. If someone puts their hands on me, it's my place to correct them, and you know I will, with an emergency room visit if I have to do so. I'm not a possession Seeley, you can't go piss along the fence to mark your territory because you think the other dogs are closing in on your toy. At some point you're going to have to trust me just like I'm going to have to trust you."

She had caught his attention with the comment about Rebecca, he knew it made her uncomfortable even though she hadn't directly said so. He understood her anxiety that first time they were introduced and tried to imagine himself being as polite if he was faced with one of her ex's on a regular basis. "I do trust you; it's them I don't trust."

"Then trust that when they act inappropriately, I'll do something about it. You can't punch every one that flirts with me, and don't bother denying it, I've seen your fist clench."

"Half the time you don't even realize when some guy is flirting with you Temperance." He was smiling now, more amused and less anxious about where the conversation was going. She got up and went to get them more pizza and his look softened as he watched the gentle sway of her stride.

She picked right back up as she reentered the room, "just because I sometimes choose to ignore it, doesn't mean I don't know about it, unless they touch me, then they have my immediate attention."

"I've seen many men check you out when you were not even aware of it." He thought of the many times he had stepped into the line of vision when a guy at a crime scene was running his eyes over her.

"That's not the same as flirting and if I didn't know about it how was I supposed to do anything? Besides, you have no room to talk on this subject; I've seen you smile at women in a way that might as well be a touch." He started to laugh then because he knew she was right.

"If the way I smiled at you was as good as a touch we'd have been arrested for obscenity in a public place a long time ago." Temperance started laughing too, a blush rising in her cheeks, she was glad this topic had settled down without either of them getting really angry.

"Just remember Seeley, I'll always be honest with you so just make sure you want the answer before you ask the question."

"Okay, here's one for you, when were you going to mention that this is your house?" He stirred the fire as he asked her, adding another log and settling back down.

"I didn't say anything because the destination was a surprise but I wasn't hiding it from you. I really haven't thought about it since we've been here. My accountant came to me a few years ago, after my first book sold so well and told me I needed to make some investments with the money, when he suggested property I immediately thought of here. I waited eight months for a house I wanted to come on the market and then bought it. I put some money into redecorating and new docks and started to come up here whenever I needed to get away."

"What would bring you here Temperance?" His voice was soft, knowing he was asking for pieces of her that she was not used to giving away.

"I used to come at Christmas because it was too painful to be anywhere else. The peninsula would be almost deserted and so peaceful in the snow, I'd bring work and I'd write, catch up on research and pass the time. In the summer I would come here to vacation if I wasn't going on a dig. You know you always want me to go to the cemetery to talk to my mother, but for me, my family is here because all I have left of them is memories and the best of my memories are here." There was a whirlwind of emotions moving within her, he could see it swirling in her eyes, every moment she was happy swimming in a sea of loss. He reached out and squeezed her hand and her thoughts snapped back to him.

"Do you want another beer?" She had risen to her feet, wanting to move around and shake the mood off of her.

"Yeah, here let me help you." He rose and followed her to the kitchen where they quickly cleaned up before returning to the fire. She moved easily in the comfortable silence between them, enjoying that they had arrived at a place where conversation wasn't always necessary. They made their way back to the fire and Booth added one more log to really kick some heat into the room. He laid back and took a long draw off of his drink as she came over and put her head on his abdomen and her feet on the hearth. He ran his hand through her hair, pleased with the level of physical comfort she had with him.

"Name somewhere you have always wanted to have sex." He was grinning as he asked it, already knowing his own answer.

He felt her laugh softly, "in space, what about you?"

"In space? Good answer, I was thinking more down the lines of on this planet but I like that answer. So much for me being able to assist you with that fantasy, I doubt I'll be headed into space anytime soon. Aren't you floating around with the whole zero gravity thing? I'm thinking it would be hard to get leverage."

She was blushing but enjoying the conversation, "there would be other advantages and all your sensations would be different. I just always thought it would be interesting, from a scientific standpoint of course."

"Oh yeah, from a scientific standpoint, uh huh. I always wanted to have sex in the White House, partially for the thrill of possibly being caught, possibly being on camera and then there is that whole 'power is an aphrodisiac' thing that ties in there. On a more reachable level, definitely in the Jeffersonian, that is on my list of to dos."

"Okay wait a minute, let me catch up here, first you're an exhibitionist and surprisingly rebellious in your White House scenario and then around all the dead bodies, I believe that has what Hodgin's calls the yuck factor. Are you thinking about sneaking into the White House and stealing a few minutes in one of the rooms, or are you planning on being a guest at some point?"

"That stealing a few minutes is called a quickie and I'd be happy with that, at least I think I would, who knows maybe I wouldn't be able to stop. It does disturb me a little that we're talking about sex and you just quoted Hodgins though." She was laughing, enjoying the myriad of pleasant emotions moving within her.

"You'd be okay with some little bald guy in a security uniform and two or three secret service guys glued to some monitor watching us? Because everything that happens in the White House is seen by someone, and just for the record, I know about quickies."

He raised his eyebrow and looked at her, the warmth sreading through him. "Come on, tell me that possibly having someone see us doesn't give you just a little rush."

She ignored his last statement, wanting to go back to his comment about the Jeffersonian, "and my work, you want to have sex around all the dead bodies? Why is that?"

"Not around the dead bodies, it has nothing to do with that, you're crossing into some really sick stuff with that thought. In your office because I know your work takes you away from me and although I understand that, I'd like to think you sometimes sit in your office and think about something other than dead people."

"How do you know I don't think about other things now?"

"Because I've seen you at work and you have complete focus when you're there. Your ability to be consumed is part of what makes you the best at what you do. I'd just like to distract you for a moment or two." He was running his fingertips from her earlobe down her neck, following the lines of her as he spoke. All this talk of sex was stirring his desire for her.

The fire danced over her features and he was unsure if it was the warmth or the conversation lending the soft glow to her cheeks. "The last time we were in your office I would have made love to you if Angela hadn't been on her way back."

She remembered that moment clearly and knew she would have let him, would have encouraged him if they had not been interrupted. His hand moved down to her breast, gently massaging through the material, grateful that she had skipped her bra after her shower. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply, raising her breast into his hand.

"What's your favorite sexual position Temperance?" He grazed his thumb across her nipple and watched her lips part as a breathy moan escaped.

"After we've tried them all, I'll tell you." His penis ached as she spoke, he had never known a woman to effect him so completely with her words. She heard him set down his bottle and felt hers slide from her hands as he took it and set it aside. Her eyes were still closed but she couldn't help smiling, knowing he'd be reaching for her. She could feel the change in him, the subtle shift of his hips that told her his state of arousal was becoming uncomfortable. His hand lifted her head and a pillow replaced his body as he moved from underneath her to next to her.

She opened her eyes and took in the sight of him on his side, his arm bent, his head resting in his hand, wearing that disarming smile that lit his dark eyes. She couldn't resist reaching out and running her hand along his jaw where the day's growth of whiskers dragged lightly against her palm. He moved his hand to her stomach, pushing up her shirt and running his fingers across her, feeding the compulsion he had to feel her. He leaned down and kissed her slowly, tasting her lips, touching his tongue ever so lightly along her bottom lip and lifting away from her. He felt her mouth reach for him, following his withdrawal as he moved just out of her reach. He descended again, grazing his lips against her and moving away, indulging himself in her expression of yearning that so aroused him.

"You're such a tease." Her voice held the weight of her desire to kiss him and he sighed softly knowing that tone would be his undoing. His thumb was moving around her navel and her hips lifted slightly against his hand as it dipped in and back

"Because I'm addicted to the way you respond when I touch you," he leaned down and gently bit her nipple through her shirt and a small cry escaped her as she arched toward him. He waited for her to look at him, "you make me…", his words died on his lips as he felt her hand caressing him through his jeans.

"hhhmmmm, so hard." She pressed the flat of her hand against him, curling her fingers between his legs and firmly stroking up the length of him. He groaned and his stomach muscles clenched as his hips tipped in

to her hand. She lifted his shirt, popping the button on his jeans and dragging her nails across his abdomen through the dusky shadow of hair. He gasped as her fingers danced along the opening of his pants and she watched as his muscles appeared and vanished before her. She tugged at his shirt, turning her eyes to him, "take this off for me." He lifted himself effortlessly away from the floor and felt her hands on him before he had the shirt over his head, her fingers tracing the lines of definition produced by his movement. She ran her hand up his chest, feeling the strength of him move under his warm flesh. She moved to his arm and laughed softly as he lifted his fist and flexed his muscles for her to caress.

"So, what's _your_ favorite sexual position?" She brought her eyes to him slowly, the fierce blue shining with a reflection from the fire making it appear as though there were flames dancing within her and at that moment he believed there were.

"Any one that involves you." He dipped his head to kiss the base of her throat and she tipped up her chin in offering. He opened his mouth over the tender dip pulling gently as she began to move beneath him. He trailed his tongue up to her jaw and over to her ear where he began gently kissing, his soft breath causing chills to move over her. He felt her hands move up into his hair and cradle his head as she turned him so she could kiss him. She moved her mouth slowly over his reveling in the taste he had denied her, filling her with a sense of satisfaction even as it widened the chasm of need within her.

He tugged on her sweat shirt and they broke apart long enough for him to peel it over her head. The heat of his stare moved over her, his lips touched lightly between her breasts, just grazing against her skin, moving over her with feather lightness. Temperance closed her eyes and lifted her body toward him, her skin tingled everywhere he touched, the pleasure was intoxicating. His tongue circled her breast, around the dark edge of her areole; he lifted his head, watching the glistening edge of the nipple as his breath made it tighten. Her soft gasp drew his attention and he glanced to her face, etched with desire, before pulling her nipple into the hot depths of his mouth. He felt the vibration of her moaning, the sound sending a painful throb to his already full penis. He moved his hand between her legs, feeling the heat of her through her jeans, he pressed his fingers against her. She rocked hard up against his hand, the languid mood dissolving away in the building crest of urgency. She thinks briefly that she can feel her pulse beating between her legs as he presses against her. He unbuttons her jeans, pulls down the zipper and begins pushing them down her hips, sitting up to reach her feet so he can pull them off of her. He runs his palms up her legs and sees her smile as she lifts her hips, allowing him to take her underwear from her also.

As he moves to lie back down she reaches for his zipper, "we might as well take care of this right now." She pulls at his jeans and he lifts, shoving both his jeans and underwear down and over his feet. He settles next to her and sighs deeply, always content on some primitive level to be naked next to her. She reaches over and cups his penis, stiff and bobbing slightly from his movements, her unexpected touch makes him gasp. Her fingers moved over him, feeling each ridge and contour, sliding up and down the shaft. He feels himself thicken and he knows he won't last if she continues to touch him. He takes her wrist and pulls her hand away, rolling her onto her back and running his hands down the length of her. He kisses her deeply, sliding his hand over her breast as she is lifting toward him. He rolls her nipple between his fingers enjoying the way she moans into his mouth, her hips are rocking gently. He kisses his way down her body, his tongue darting into her navel as he passes, moving down to her thighs. His hand caresses her leg and she spreads them, aching for him to touch her. He moves between her legs, easing them further apart as he nibbles a path on the tender flesh inside her thigh, she is squirming beneath him, panting softly.

He inhales the scent of her, sliding his hands under her, he lifts her hips and slides his tongue between her lips, opening her as he pulls her toward him and places his mouth on her. Temperance gasped loudly, reaching out her hands and clutching the blankets into her fists, her head shot back as her body vibrated with need. She had never had a man lift her up to his mouth and move with such a hunger against her. He moved rhythmically against her, nibbling and sucking, his tongue darting and flicking against her, swirling rapidly in and around her, his hands firmly holding her against him. She was moaning a long low sound which fed his fevered movements, he could feel her thighs trembling against him. He moved one hand to the small of her back, releasing her with the other as his lips clamped around her swollen clit. He slipped his fingers into her burning depths, her slick walls fluttering around him as he stroked his fingertips against her most sensitive spot without mercy.

She cried out his name, her breathing ragged as she struggled with the waves of pleasure rolling over her, out her limbs. Her feet pressed against the floor, pushing her up and against him as her orgasm broke over her, electrical impulses racing through her, out her fingertips, curling her toes as his name careened from her lips. He increased his speed and her hips slammed against him, his hand pushing against her, lifting her while he sucked firmly on her clitoris. She was crying out, her hands pulling the blanket up in tight fists when the second wave hit her. His balls tightened painfully in response to the sound of her. He quickly began sucking the juices gently from her folds as her body clenched around his fingers and her shoulders and legs curled inward desperately trying to hold her at the peak of the intense feelings wracking her body. Her heart was hammering in her chest and the roar of blood rushing filled her ears. He slipped out of her, moving up next to her and she curled on her side, drawing her legs together and up against her belly she wrapped her arms around her knees, needing to hold onto herself as her muscles continued to twitch. He curled behind her, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tightly. She leaned her head down and kissed his arm, unable to speak but wanting him to know he was exactly where she needed him to be.

When he felt her breathing calm he moved his lips to her ear, "Temperance, I love this place already."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Oh and there is more to come. Let me here you people, press the little button.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: They are not mine, but secretly I pretend they are because I like where I take them better than where the producers and writers do.

A/N: Sex in the beginning, relationship stuff after that so plenty for everyone, please review, it's the only payment I get, so make me rich.

**WARNING: Sexually explicit chapter.**

Her voice was barely a whisper, "I just need a minute."

He chuckled against her neck, "please, take all the time you need."

She tried to shoot him a glance over her shoulder but couldn't maintain it and ended up smiling. She felt too good to even feign irritation.

Her breathing had returned to normal, she released her legs and stretched them out, extending herself from torso to toes. He wanted desperately to touch her as she pulled her body taunt but thought he should let her do what she needed, take her moment. Instead, he licked his lips, tasting her and realizing it only fed his hunger but found himself doing it again.

"Seeley, why do you think it's like this between us? The sex I mean." She turned to face him, her eyes wide as though there were some perfectly reasonable explanation that he could offer.

"Well, I love you, and you love me, right?" He looked at her quizzically and she nodded. "I think that's part of it."

She went to speak and hesitated, searching for words, or courage, or both. "But you've loved other women, did it feel like this?" He drew back slightly and looked at her intently, knowing how difficult it was for her to ask and a little stunned that she had. He knew he had to be completely honest but her level of intensity was a little intimidating to him. He wasn't used to so many emotional conversations, especially about his past, but he knew she would ask more of him than any woman ever had and that she would never settle for less than all of him. She was waiting.

"No, no one has ever felt like this to me and no one has ever made me feel the way I do when I'm with you, sexually or otherwise. I think part of it is that I may have loved them, but I was not in love with them. I think we're both giving 100 of ourselves also, which I don't believe either of us has done in the past. Beyond that I don't know what it is, pheromones, chemistry, destiny, karma, yin and yang or incredibly good luck. Since you are the empirical scientist we can go with the first two, somehow I don't think universal balance, religion or fate is what you're looking for in an answer."

"In short you really have no idea what it is, right?" She was smiling. His hand moved under her chin, he was looking at her as though studying something within her.

"I know this, all my senses respond to you, it doesn't matter when or where we are, I can hear you say something profoundly sexual or just moan, and it arouses me. I can look at you, so stunning you make me ache and it can have the same effect. Sometimes it's just the way the light reflects in your hair or the way you hold your mouth when you're thinking and are unaware that I'm watching you. Kissing you and tasting you does it every time and so does your scent, I don't know what it is but I know there is nothing else like it and I always have the urge for more. It's addicting, you're addicting. As for touching, well, you see what happens when I touch you." He leaned against her and his erection pressed lightly into her side.

She reached down and wrapped her hand around him, feeling him immediately swell against her palm. "That's amazing, when I can feel you grow and become hard in my hand or pressed against me. It's, it's…' She was blushing and he knew she was trying to discuss this with him despite her discomfort but he had a feeling all her life her questions to people were asked with great discomfort. "I need some water." She smiled softly and stood up, so quickly, he was shocked by the immediacy of her absence. He put another log on the fire, giving her a moment. She came back into the room and stopped at the window, looking out into the night, the light in the room reflecting her image back to him perfectly.

He came up behind her, slipping his arms around her waist, looking at her in the glass, "are you okay?"

"Yes, I just, you know I'm not used to talking so much about how I feel, even in a good way." She was watching him in the glass, standing behind her, his tanned skin framing her pale shoulders, his arms across her abdomen.

He could see her gaze and he moved his hand up the front of her, running his finger from her throat to the dip of her navel, "look at how beautiful you are." He stroked the tender flesh underneath her breasts and they watched as her nipples tightened, appearing to darken from his touch. He was torn between watching her body and her expression.

Temperance was oddly self conscious watching her reflection and at the same time excited by seeing his hands move over her. It was as though she was being touched twice, once that she felt and once that she could see.

She watched his hand snake down, over her belly, his fingers disappearing in her folds. She gasped, still sensitive as his finger tips disappeared. She was unable to look away, fascinated, aroused and frightened by the unfamiliarity of the sight before her. His other hand cupped her breast, his long fingers cresting around, catching her nipple between two of his fingers and squeezing gently, the line of her ribs appearing and disappearing with her rapid breaths. She glanced at Seeley; he was watching them, his eyes reflecting black in the glass, his expression sending a tingling sensation across her skin. Suddenly he was looking at her, their eyes meeting, "don't move." He released her, stepping away and she saw herself, a naked woman, in a state of want, sexual.

He was back, dropping a blanket and two large pillows on the floor, just behind her, his penis moving like an animated limb in front of him. He came up behind her, "step back and kneel down on the pillows." She froze for a second, unaccustomed to such blatant direction from him, but she did as he requested. From a kneeling position the window hit her just above the knee, she watched him kneel behind her, gently nudging her legs apart. His hands appeared on her waist and her reflection looked luminous, yet transparent as though she were some ethereal being that was being seduced by another. She leaned back against him and turned her head, kissing him, lingering, knowing she would be watching every move after this. His hands traveled now, caressing her in long strokes, his palms and fingers rising over each small curve, his thumb dipping inside her navel. For those few seconds she saw herself as he did and she blinked against the intimacy of the moment. Every touch of his hands made her feel like she was on fire, her flesh almost vibrating under his touch. She leaned back against him, putting her hands back and along his sides and his head dipped to kiss and nip a line across her shoulder to her neck. Once again his hand slipped between her legs and one moved up to cup her full breast, they began to move in slow circles around the peaks of bundled nerves. She was trying to watch, drawn to both hands her attention was divided, her body's reaction to him intensified and she struggled not to close her eyes. The heat condensed between her legs, throbbing, she could feel herself growing wetter, could see his coated fingers glistening as he stroked her. He increased his speed and she moaned, her hips arching harder into his hand, rocking. He released her breast, his hand disappearing behind her, her breath caught in her throat as his finger dipped into her wetness and then slid back and pulsed inside her anus, moving slowly. The moan rolled from deep in her chest, he matched the rhythm of his two hands and felt her body fight to roll both forward into one hand and back to the other. She moved her hand to her breast and began rolling her nipple between her fingers and he couldn't take any more. She felt his finger move out from between her cheeks and watched as his penis appeared between her legs and then sank into her with a satisfying grunt. She looked at the whole picture; there they were, framed, like shadows of flesh, reflecting their desire with every move.

He closed his eyes for a second, gathering himself, he didn't think he had ever been so hard. He had been moving inside a fantasy ever since he stepped behind her, viewing a private reel of her. As she leaned back, the firm globes of her ass pressed into his hips, the curve of her shoulder blades rested against his chest, the scent of her hair enveloped him, he caught his breath. He reached behind her wanting to explore the ass she had so tightly pressed against him. When he realized she was watching, her walls so slick he could feel her coating his fingers, the response in his penis made him wince. He increased the speed of both hands just as she reached for her own nipple and he lost all focus, he couldn't recall ever having such a powerful urge to be inside a woman so he followed his compulsion and just pushed himself inside her.

Temperance suppressed the urge to lean forward and felt his hand press against her stomach, holding her upright. Her leg began to tremble, she wanted desperately for him to start moving; when he entered her he was pressing directly against a spot within her that made her hands clench and her body arch. She could hardly breathe; she watched his splayed fingers across her abdomen holding her tightly as his other hand slowly stroked her clitoris. If she could get enough air she was going to start screaming. He began to slide in and out of her and she shifted her hips against him, matching his cadence. Her thighs were burning from the strain but rolling waves of a pleasure she had never known carried her from the thought of pain to a soaring place within herself. She stroked his arm, the silky hair grazing her palm, his muscles solid just beneath the surface. In the reflection she saw her hand on his arm, his arm on her belly, her body against his; they were layered, moving, her breasts swaying gently with their rhythm, a low moan rumbling from her lips. She no longer knew the woman in the glass. His stroke was relentless, nudging her higher and higher; she sank her fingers into his skin, holding on against the sensation of falling. He suddenly sped up his pace and her head rolled back to his shoulder, crying out and struggling to push against him as her orgasm broke over her. He pressed against her clit and continued to pump himself into her, he could feel the heat of her cum running down his penis as her walls seized around him and she continued to crash. Her voice was growing louder, she was calling out to him above the din in her ears and the pounding of her heart. He moved both hands to her hips and held her as he slammed into her, emptying himself, a moan and her name tangling across his tongue, her body still clenching around him.

She felt him burst within her, the flood of his hot seed rolling her body into another wave that bowed her spine to the point she feared it would snap. As she began to descend, her blood rushing and breath rasping she glanced in the window, a sheen of sweat made them appear shiny and her inner thighs glistened brightly with their intermingled fluids, her body pulsed weekly in response. Her thoughts were whirling around, having long ago dismissed the idea of multiple orgasms and g-spots; she had concluded that they were more myth than natural occurrence. Her womb twitched erratically and she felt him ease himself out of her. She immediately pulled her legs together, her thighs, knees and hips now screaming from the activities.

They stood slowly, their muscles protesting, joints popping. She kissed him gently, searching her mind for an all encompassing expression but found nothing would form. She hugged him tightly, having missed being able to wrap her arms around him and needing the solid feel of him pressed to her. After a moment she released him and took his hand, leading him to the bathroom. She turned the water on hot and they both stepped in, letting it pound down into their aching muscles. After rinsing she cut the shower and let the tub start to fill, pouring in some oil she turned to him.

"Let's soak in the tub for a few minutes."

He laughed softly, more than willing to comply. He sat down; the water was hot enough to cause him to move gingerly into it, leaning against the cool porcelain back. "What did you pour in here? It smells so good."

"It's a eucalyptus, mint and fig; it'll help your sore muscles. It has a clean natural scent I really like, earthy." She lowered herself into the water, between his legs, curling slightly so she could rest her head on his chest. Once settled she sighed deeply, a sense of contentment oozing from her.

"You surprised me tonight. I didn't expect you to be a voyeur and an exhibitionist." She could actually hear him smiling as he spoke.

"Slow down Seeley, I have never been a fan of watching, it supports the objectification of women and is the basis on which the porn industry was founded. I was amazed tonight because it was us, seeing you touch me and then being able to feel it was …well, incredible. I've never thought about how we looked before now, or how you see me." Her voice dropped to a whisper, "it was beautiful. I couldn't stop watching."

"Well, I can promise you one thing."

"What's that?"

"The first thing I'm going to do when we get home is install mirrored doors on the closet in the bedroom." He could feel her laughing into his chest.

"As for that part about being an exhibitionist, that's only for you."

"Only for me in private or in public too?"

"I guess you'll have to wait and see, literally."

"Are you trying to make me crazy, because a man could go insane from statements like that, you know?" He didn't tell her that most of his fantasies involved her flipping from her most scientific mindset clad in her lab coat to a sex goddess whispering profane invitations to him.

"I don't want you to be crazy." She snuggled herself closer to him and sighed heavily in the warmth, the heat had drained her energy and pushed her well into a state of exhaustion. "I am getting tired; it's been a long day for us. How about if we get out, sit by the fire for a little while until it burns down and then go to bed?"

"That sounds great to me."

They were weighted with fatigue as they moved but they managed to get to the living room and remake their nest on the floor. It was only a few moments before the gentle rise and fall of her next to him told him she was asleep. He watched her for a long time, wondering at how they had already come so far together. He felt in a certain way privileged that she had decided to let him in to her private world but he hadn't thought about how difficult it would be to keep up with her emotionally. He didn't mind sharing the events of his life, but how he felt about them and how they affected him was not something he really enjoyed discussing. He didn't really like being too introspective, it sent him to dark places within himself that were full of moral vortexes threatening to suck him down into an endless spiral of guilt and compromise. He should have known that in revealing herself to him she would be as intense and focused as she was in everything.

He lay watching her for a long time, wondering if he would be able to be the man she saw when she looked at him. After a while he started to feel chilled, the logs were just about gone so he screened off the fire place and went to get the bed ready. When he came back, Temperance had curled up against the chill but was still sleeping. He lifted her carefully against him, carried her to the room and laid her gently on the bed. She murmured to him that she was cold so he pulled an extra blanket over them and chuckled as she wrapped herself around him as soon as he was settled into the bed.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

When he opened his eyes again, he was disappointed to find that he was alone. Heavy rays of sun filtered around and between the blinds telling him it was still early, but well past sunrise. He stood and stretched his naked form toward the ceiling, sighing deeply as several joints popped and eased. He walked hesitantly to the bathroom, the healed bones in his feet aching from the change in temperature. He cleaned himself up and although he didn't know what the day's activities would involve, he put on his jeans and a sweatshirt, adding leather deck shoes he went in search of Temperance.

Seeley walked to the kitchen and found it empty but there was coffee made so she couldn't be too far away. He poured himself a cup and stepped into the living room, stopping in his tracks as he looked to the windows. The view was spectacular, he walked out onto the back porch, the house was actually on a bit of a bluff and there, where there had been only darkness last night, stretched an expanse of sparking deep blue water surrounded by a line of trees that were ablaze with their Autumn colors. He realized that there were houses peppered among the trees, and as he looked further he could see a number of smoke trails against the sky indicating that there were fireplace burning. He tried to recall having ever seen a sky that perfectly blue and wondered if it had to do with some sort of reflection off the water and then laughed at himself for having such a squint thought. The difference being that they would probably know the answer. He stood for a moment, sipping his coffee, taking it all in, the vibrant colors, the scent of pine, and the warmth of the sun being chased off his skin by the stroke of a cool breeze. He could see her attraction to this place; it would be hard to stay depressed or withdrawn when your surroundings that felt this alive.

He walked across the lawn and saw the wide wooden staircase leading down to a dock that stretched out over the water, there at the end, sitting with her legs tucked underneath her and her hair fluttering in the wind, was Temperance. Even from this distance he was struck by the grace and beauty of her, relaxed, her face tilted toward the sun, he descended the steps to join her.

Temperance had been up for over an hour, having made coffee she dressed and headed down to the dock. There was a cool breeze and the sun had just crested the horizon lighting up the trees and highlighting the water, the view was so brilliant that for a short time she couldn't do anything more than stare, mesmerized. She was still struggling with her feelings for Seeley, the intensity sometimes made her uncomfortable and she wasn't used to considering someone else's feelings every time she made a decision. On the other hand, being with him felt right, safe, like something within her was finally balanced. Then there was the sex, she had to admit, she would have a hard time walking away from it. She smiled to herself, even armed with all her scientific knowledge she couldn't define that place they went to, beyond pleasure, beyond desire, beyond animal instinct and even beyond fucking. It was one of the rare things that she had experienced herself that transcended logical explanation.

She momentarily closed her eyes, tilting her face to the sun to directly feel the heat of it. Maybe this was good for her, loving Seeley this way; she didn't want to remain closed off from the world forever. Sometimes when she thought about it she could picture them in the future, growing old together, but the image was fleeting. She took a deep breath, releasing her tension and letting herself relax. It felt good not to have to hold herself so tightly, scary but good.

She was watching a small fishing boat in the distance, the occupants were just settling down after casting their lines. She had fished this lake as a child with her family. Her mother would pack a basket of food and she and Russ would walk to the corner store for bait. She was never squeamish about baiting her hook whether it was a worm or a grub and she helped her father clean the fish when they got home, a job her brother refused to do. Somewhere there were pictures of them at different ages holding their catch of the day on the dock of which ever rental they were in that year. She could call up those days with ease, all of them in bathing suits with clothes pulled over them, tanned from days on the beach, chatting about their plans for the next few days and then falling into a peaceful silence as they waited for the hungry fish. Temperance had watched her line for hours as it disappeared into the black depths, patiently waiting for her rod to bow and the excitement of the catch to begin. Her mother didn't fish, she made them put on sun block once it became bright, got them drinks, fed them snacks, and kept track of sun glasses, hats and clothes. When they became bored her father would give them riddles to solve, Russ would tell jokes, or they would play a memory game to pass the time. They didn't fight, not here, not on this lake. It was vacation and everyone was at their best, indulging in the wonders of this remarkable place they were too entertained to be worried about their own conflicts.

Seeley was only half way down the dock when she heard him approaching and when she turned and saw him walking toward her something welled up in her chest.

He leaned over and kissed her before settling down next to her on the bench. She turned and leaned against him, his arm curling around her.

"Good morning, what are you thinking about out here by yourself?" Knowing when she sat alone with her thoughts that her brain could take her in any number of directions, some good and some bad, he was checking her mood.

She smiled and curled more tightly into his embrace, "I was thinking about how much I love you and how amazing that is to me."

He was surprised by her answer and tightened his arm around her, "amazing because you didn't think you were capable of it or you didn't think you would ever allow yourself to feel this way?"

"Both and the really strange part is that now I can barely remember what it felt like not to love you."

His chest moved under her as he chuckled, "I can only imagine how confusing that is to your perfectly logical mind."

"I've always found emotions to be confusing, they're rarely logical and they cause people to behave in irrational ways. Most of the crimes committed are linked to some distorted emotional outburst; our society is defined by it."

"Yes but there is a flip side to that theory, throughout history most of the greatest pieces of art, music and literature were also born of some _distorted emotional outburst_, usually love or the loss of it."

"So the best we can hope for is that our love inspires a creative act and not an act of violence? Seeing as I am in love with a man that carries a gun and not a paint brush that make me a little uneasy." He burst out laughing; the sound skipped out over the water and made her feel somehow warmer. "My coffee is gone and I'm starving so let's go up and fix a meal and we can take it out on the boat. I'll give you the color tour of the lake."

"Okay, let's go, I have to admit, I'm starving too. It must have been all that traveling yesterday." He was struggling to keep a straight face.

She looked at him, eyebrow raised in question at his statement, "the travel? You really think it was just the travel?" She could play this naïve game as long as he could.

"Well, now that I think back I do recall burning up some energy on the floor in front of the fireplace. Oh yeah, and in front of the window, that's right." He was laughing as he spoke, unable to maintain a sober expression. "Speaking of 'in front of the window', how are your thighs and hips this morning?"

She stood up, and looked at him, a blush dusting her cheeks, her eyes as bright and crystalline blue as the sky, "they're fine this morning, but you seem to be walking somewhat carefully." She put out her hand and he took it and stood, realizing that she had noticed his slow walk out to her and had assumed it was from the previous night. Why didn't he want to correct her? Why did it matter? His mood darkened and he shifted uncomfortably, he squeezed her hand and began to walk down the dock with her.

She barely heard him utter that he was fine and she was aware that something had gone wrong. She could feel him pull away from her and it was both shocking and confusing. She was startled by the tug within her belly when he turned from her, a physical reaction to his emotional shift. It was as though they were connected and she could actually feel thin strands between them snapping as he shut himself down. Was this how other couples felt? She was momentarily overwhelmed so she walked with him in silence back to the house as the questions churned within her.

Seeley knew he had shut down; he felt his mood collapse in on itself and couldn't stop it. Temperance had looked confused and although he paused, he couldn't retrieve enough of himself to speak to her. They walked back to the house, feeling disjointed and distant. Temperance went to the kitchen and Seeley sank into the recliner in the living room. He closed his eyes and leaned back, jumping when he felt her hand on his thigh. She was sitting on the floor in front of him between his legs and he hadn't heard her approach.

"Seeley, what happened out there?"

He knew he owed her an explanation. He took a deep breath trying to clear his head. "Look, my difficulty in walking didn't have anything to do with last night. It had to do with the weather; changes in temperature make the fractures in my feet ache sometimes. I don't talk to anyone about that part of my life, it's just too difficult. I didn't want to tell you, I know you saw my x-rays but I just…I don't know."

When she was sure he had said all he had to say she stood and kissed him on the forehead. "Thank you, now just stay here for a minute." She headed toward the bedroom and he put back his head and closed his eyes, trying to push the haunting images from his head. She was back, kneeling in front of him she spread a towel across the floor and one across her legs. She had his shoe off and was massaging something into this foot before he was even sure what she was doing.

"Temperance, you don't have to…" He didn't open his eyes when he spoke, he couldn't look at her.

She cut him off, "sshhh, don't say anything. I understand what it's like to shut down because you have to protect yourself. What did you tell me the other day? We have time; everything doesn't have to be said in one day. I'll never ask more from you than you're able to give, sometimes one sentence is all there is for that day, for me some days it was just one word. I understand that Seeley, now let me make this better." She continued working the lotion into his feet, her strokes firm and smooth to minimize his damaged nerves from jumping.

He could feel the tears stinging behind his eyes, he didn't want to cry but her act of compassion and understanding had triggered him emotionally. He tried to take slow deep breaths, concentrating on the feel of her hands, hoping she was not watching his face. Her touch was reminiscent of a an oriental woman, his physical therapist, that used to sit and massage his feet when he was in the hospital, kneeling on the floor in front of him, always coming to him when the nurses had him sitting for a while. She had small powerful hands and she worked over his broken bones with brutal efficiency. They never spoke, but he was just a shell then, unable to engage in conversation anyway. His head was filled with horrifying images, bodies being blown apart, bodies being tortured, most of them men he knew, men who were his friends. He had survived what had been done to him by shutting down, closing off the part of his brain that would keep him sane but there was a cost to surviving.

She had removed his remaining shoe and began working on his other foot; he still could not look at her. He ran his hand over his face, removing any traces of tears and forced his thought to a more pleasant time, back to today. He could feel the heat from whatever she was using penetrating his feet, reaching and soothing the ache deep in his arches. As he let himself relax the silence became more comfortable and he was able to reduce his world down to just her touch. He felt her hands draw away, she was removing the towels, wiping her hands on them and setting them aside. He felt her presence as she stood and then a pressure as she straddled his lap, sitting comfortably on his thighs. She placed a feather light kiss on his lips before wrapping her arms around him and holding him close.

The emotions he had so recently suppressed rushed forward and he fought not to sob in her arms, frightened by his own surprising lack of control he held onto her tightly. He wanted to tell her that he was not the man she thought he was, that he had cried out when they had beaten him, had sobbed as they dragged him across the dirt floor, that in another hour he would have talked if his team had not arrived to rescue him. He knew from protocol that when his team came it was to get him out or kill him if they couldn't; he had too much information to be left alive in enemy hands. When they broke into the building that night he didn't care which outcome it was going to be as long as it would be over. He never told them he was going to break, he never told a soul, not during debriefing, not during counseling, not drinking with his friends, but in his own heart he knew it, so when they called him a hero his own brain mocked him by whispering coward. He wanted to tell her, but he couldn't form the words, afraid if he spoke the flood of grief would drown him and the man he really was would be revealed.

Temperance felt him struggling and was not completely sure if he was crying or fighting hard not to, but either way the turmoil was obvious. At this point she didn't know what to do other than to hold him, as he had her so many times, and wait until he was calmer. She knew whatever demon he was wrestling would be forced back into its cage and he would resurface, come back to her. He held her a long time, hoping that somehow her nearness would heal him, believing that when he was with her, he was a better man. When his breathing had returned to normal and she felt him relax under her, she sat up and began to place gentle kisses on his face until at last he opened his eyes.

"There's my Seeley."

Maybe it was the sound of her voice as she claimed him to be hers, or the sunlight setting her hair on fire and lighting the blue in her eyes, maybe it was the simple statement itself, he would never know for sure, but at that moment he believed in redemption and that the only way he would ever find it was through her. He studied her for a moment, capturing the way she looked, knowing that he would forever hold this image of her inside him.

"Let's get something to eat and then I owe you a boat ride. If you're good, I'll let you drive for a while." She stroked his jaw, watching him intently.

He smiled then, "you've driven this boat before I hope?"

"Of course I have, I even took the association's water safety class, although it wasn't necessary, I've been driving boats since I was a child and I take this one out all the time when I'm here, besides, we're taking the pontoon out for the color tour, I'm saving the speed boat for tomorrow."

"You have two boats?"

"Two boats, two Seadoos, a windsurfer, skis and an inner tube, this is a place to come and relax and play, its vacation Seeley."

"I just never guessed you would be the type to play. Why doesn't anyone at the Jeffersonian know this about you?"

"In Washington they play in the ocean and I don't go out on the ocean, I think it's asking for trouble and I guess a conversation about boats just never came up at work. I haven't used this place as a resort yet, I guess I just always thought I would. Come on, let's go." Temperance had an uneasy feeling when she finished the last statement. When did she think she was going to use this as a resort? Had she planned on bringing friends? Had some part of her thought that one day she would bring a family here as her parents had done? She pushed the thoughts away and climbed off his lap, heading to the kitchen to fix breakfast.

He got up to go and help her and in no time they had omelets cooked and fruit chopped for salad. Despite the fact he didn't know where anything was in the kitchen they managed well together, finishing breakfast and packing a cooler for the boat.

Temperance was good with the boat and she gave him a thorough tour, reverting to her scientific self and explaining the lake, its terrain, indigenous trees and fish and the architecture of the houses as well as the background of some of the inhabitants. She pulled the boat in toward a beach on the crescent side of one of the five islands that trailed down the center of the lake, telling him it was Picnic Island. He realized he had no idea in which direction the house might be and how easy it would be for a newcomer to get disoriented and lost on the large body of water.

"You're different out here, a mix of the lab doctor and yourself, I feel like I've had home schooling lessons this morning and I have to tell you, you're a good teacher. You should show this side of yourself to more people, you're an amazing woman Temperance." He watched the blush rise up her neck as she cut the engine and dropped anchor, the wind had stopped completely in the shelter of the cove and it was quite suddenly, quiet.

"I told you, I know this place and despite everything I told you today there is still so much more, consider this an educational cruise."

"Your love of this place is obvious when you talk about it. Why are we stopping here?" He watched her peel off her sweatshirt, revealing a tank top underneath, without the breeze and with the sun having climbed high above them, it was warm.

"So we can have something to drink and a snack and because it's calm here so it's a great pace to take a moment and enjoy the view."

"I've been enjoying the view this entire time." When she saw the look in his eyes she realized his meaning and felt herself blush. He held out his hand to her and she curled up next to him on the bench, relaxing in the heat of both the sun and his body. He tipped up her chin and kissed her, easing her lips apart and stroking her tongue with his, letting the desire flow between them. He released her and held her against him, enjoying the vibration running through him, she rested her head on his chest.

"Temperance, I want to ask you something and I don't want you to think that it means anything more than my need to know. After I ask you this, I promise you that I'll never bring it up again. Okay?"

He felt her stiffen in his arms as he spoke, "never is a long time and I'll hold you to it so I hope you're sure about that statement." Her voice had a chill that made him nervous and he wondered if she had any idea what it was he wanted to ask her.

"I'm sure. I've watched you for a long time, when you do something, you don't go half way. When you learned to shoot you became proficient, when you took self defense you became a black belt, when you look at a skeleton you examine every crevice and when you decide something during an investigation, you won't let it go until I prove you wrong. You are a woman of extremes. Then I got to know you and I see this warm compassionate woman that is good with children, that understands that they need to be heard and answered, that is loving and giving. You told me that you were sure you didn't want children, that you didn't want to love anyone that much and I believe you, I believe you one hundred percent. This is where I get confused though because you said you have been sexually active almost half your life, so why would a woman that is sure she doesn't want to have children, inject herself with a medication that has severe and life threatening side effects every three months? Why wouldn't you just get your tubes tied if you were so sure? It's a relatively simple procedure these days, you're a doctor, you know that between the two risks the one time surgery would be the obvious choice, so why didn't you ever do it?"

"I think my natural instinct to procreate was strong enough to keep me from doing anything that permanent until I was older. The human impulse to continue the species is one of the four biological imperatives that we're born with so it is hard to completely shut it down, especially during child bearing years."

"Okay, you just gave me the anthropologist's answer to this question, now may I please speak to Temperance?" They fell silent for a few moments, not moving; he could feel her breath increase and knew her brain was racing at an unfathomable speed. He was warm, wishing now that he too had removed his sweatshirt before starting this conversation. She rocked gently against him as the water lulled the boat into a steady buoyant rhythm.

"I don't know, I realize the logical assumption would be that I didn't do anything that permanent because on some level I wanted to keep that possibility open in case I changed my mind, but you know how I hate psychological analysis. Why are you asking me this? I thought we were okay on this topic."

"I am, I respect your opinion on this, I really do and that's why I said I wouldn't bring it up again. I can live the rest of my life with you and Parker; I've given it a great deal of thought. I just want you to be sure that this is what you want, that you're not letting part of life pass you by out of fear. A year ago you would have said a relationship like ours was an impossibility for you and probably would have debated it's existence for anyone that was not hormonally or chemically imbalanced in some way, and yet here we are today. Life changes, you change and when you made the decision not to have children you made it on the faulty premise that you would be the same person for the rest of your life, you forgot to factor in growth. I think you based your beliefs on Dr. Temperance Brennan the forensic anthropologist and not on how you felt as a woman. I want you to promise me something."

As he was speaking she was answering in her head, it wasn't growth she hadn't factored into planning her future, it was him. She never could have predicted his arrival in her life, or how he made her feel. "What?"

"I'll keep my word and never bring this up again but I'd like you to promise me that you'll at least stop periodically during our relationship and make sure that not having children is still what you want, in your heart. If you do wake up one day and change your mind, I'd like to be the first to know because I would love to share that with you but understand that this is not a pressure situation. I can picture living a very happy life with you either way, okay?"

"Okay."

"Say it Temperance, I want to hear you say it."

"I promise that I'll think about it sometimes and let you know if I ever change my mind." Her tone was slightly petulant but sincere enough for him to be satisfied.

He tipped her face up to his, looking her in the eyes for the first time since starting the conversation and surprised by the soft expression that gazed back at him. "We're good on this topic now, you can relax, and you never have to discuss it or defend yourself again, at least not with me." She kissed him tenderly, appreciating that this was a difficult topic, that he had so carefully thought it through and that he was willing to respect any answer from her. Part of her was relieved that they had come to a conclusion that was good for both of them, that left them both feeling content.

She pulled away from him, standing up and unsnapping the canopy from the overhead bar, after adjusting and snapping she had it open and the back of the boat was cast into a cool shade.

"I too hot, I'm going to dip into the water just to get wet and then fix us lunch. Do you want to join me?" She peeled off her tank top and dropped her jeans to reveal her suit on underneath.

"I didn't wear my suit." He sounded disappointed.

"It doesn't matter, wear your underwear, or nothing, we'll only be in for a minute to cool off, but for the record, always wear your suit under your clothes when we're here, you never know when you might end up in the water. We aren't anchored very deeply, so surface dive, don't jump into the water." She walked to the back of the boat and launched herself into a long line of flesh out over the water, slicing into the surface in the slightest of angles, she disappeared from his sight. He stripped down to his underwear in record time, spotting her head bob up out of the water some distance from the boat. He took an arcing dive off the back as she had done and surfaced a moment later, immediately heading back to the boat.

"IT"S FREEZING? ARE YOU INSANE?" She had climbed back into the back of the boat and was laughing as he boarded. "I think my balls just crawled up somewhere in the vicinity of my kidneys for warmth. Jesus Christ! I can't believe you just jumped in there like it was no big deal." He was panting from shock, adrenaline and exertion. "It's really not that funny."

She was still laughing, "I'm used to it and I was prepared for the shock, if I had told you, you never would have gone in, would you?"

"No, because I'm not crazy, oh my God that was cold." He began to towel himself vigorously to return warmth to his limbs.

"Get out of the wet underwear and back into dry clothes, that'll help." She was still chuckling from the look on his face when he had surfaced from the water.

"Oh now you want to help me, first you…" His words faded from his lips as he watched her strip from her suit and stand before him nude. He immediately came over to her, dropping his shorts and wrapping a beach towel around the two of them. "Of course you could always help me get warm since you set me up to freeze in the first place." He was already kissing her neck, her skin warming beneath his lips; he heard a small moan escape her. She stepped him back into the sunlight and he broke to glance around, feeling suddenly exposed in the bright light and open space.

"What's the matter Mr. Exhibitionist? Don't look so panicked, there isn't anyone here but us." She was laughing softly, her hand dropping between his legs and cupping him. "I see you're warming up nicely." The smile was downright wicked.

"You have been far too amused at my expense this morning."

"But I'm willing to make it up to you." Her hand began stroking him and he bit back his protest as her fingers tightened around him and her lips captured his. She backed him up to the seat, draped the towel over it and eased him down. She kissed a path down the center of his chest, kneeling in front of him, slipping her tongue in the dip of his navel. She paused and looked up at him, "since we're on an educational cruise today I'm about to teach you the advantages of having paid attention in anatomy class and show you exactly why it's good to be a squint." With that she lowered her head…

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Okay I need a temperature reading from out there because I think I'm going to wrap this up in a chapter and an epilogue. Let me know what you think, you know the drill, press the button and I can almost hear you…


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: They are not mine but playing with them is still fun.

WARNING: M Rating for explicit sexual scenes and language.

A/N: Epilogue is posted at the same time, read this first, it is at last, complete. Thanks for reading.

"I think you broke it." He was looking down at his drained member, still steadying his breathing.

Temperance laughed, the sound brushed against his chest and floated out over the water. "I promise you, it's not broken. It'll work again in a little while; your glands just need time to recuperate. I merely emptied them."

"You know that statement really lacks any romanticism." He was chuckling at her somewhat clinical response, she could feel the rumbling against her where she lay curled against his chest..

"So you think it would have sounded romantic for me to say I gave you a blowjob while finger fucking you and massaging your g-spot, using my hand to hold the base of your penis until the pressure was too great and then letting you cum?" She felt him suck in and hold his breath as she spoke, he hadn't known men had a g-spot, maybe there was something to be said for being a squint.

"So that's what you did. Okay, maybe it's not broken, I think I felt a twitch of life." She burst with laughter again.

"You're too easy Seeley." She stroked her hand down his chest.

"I can't help it; there is something about hearing you use profane language from that sensuous mouth that is normally spouting facts and logic that makes me crazy." He sighed deeply.

"So if I called you at work and told you that I wanted you to come home and fuck me, would that get your attention?" She was teasing him, and enjoying it in a way she never had with any man.

"Temperance, you're making my balls ache with this conversation."

"That's because it's too soon, we should change the subject. I don't want you to be in pain." She was only half serious, knowing he didn't want to change the subject, not really.

"To answer your question, you'd hear my key in the lock before you had the phone back in its cradle." More laughing, he could hear that sound for the rest of his life and not tire of it.

"Is it just the word fuck, or will any sexual suggestion do?" She really didn't need any help, but she couldn't resist torturing him in this subtle way, with just their words and the idea of what they meant.

She could hear the smile in his voice as he spoke, "well why don't you give me some suggestions and I'll tell you if they work." He wanted to hear her say some more and was curious as to what she would choose as profane.

"Seeley, this feels like a ploy to get me to talk dirty to you."

Such a smart, smart woman. "Is that okay, if it is?"

"You know you don't need a ploy, all you had to do was ask." In a simple statement, there she was, the Temperance he knew and loved so much, direct, to the point, painfully honest.

"So I'm asking you, please, for the rest of my life, will you spontaneously talk dirty to me?" Laughing again, it makes him so happy to hear, it's almost as good as the sound of her during sex, almost.

"For the rest of your life? That was ingenious of you. I guess I could agree to that." They fell silent for a moment, both of them aware that amid the sexual play they had just admitted that they would spend the rest of their lives together.

He whispered thank you into her hair as he pressed a kiss there and she closed her eyes, knowing it was for the idea of them being together forever more than her promise of erotic conversation.

"Temperance, do you think you'll marry me one day?" He figured she was half way there; he might as well see what happened.

She tensed slightly in his arms, "define marriage."

He thought she was toying with him, "you know, two people in love, standing before a priest, swearing to God that they'll love one another, and no other for the rest of their lives, with a hundred or so of their closest friends and relatives to witness."

"No, you know I don't believe in God, it would be wrong of me to participate in such a ceremony." She could feel the disappointment in him, but had prepared herself for this conversation, after all the talk of children, it was inevitable. She rose up on her elbow and turned his face so he was looking at her, "I would however stand before some sort holy man and swear to _you_ that I will love you for the rest of my life with a hundred or so of our closest friends and relatives to witness. That I could do, one day that is, right now we need to find out if we can still work together."

The grin that broke his face was dazzling, "if I have learned anything in the last few weeks it's that I've already found out everything I need to know about you, the rest we'll work out together, as equals, our own private version of quid pro quo, remember?"

That brought a smile to her, she did remember, "yes, I do, but it's too soon Seeley, we've only been together a couple of months, although I do weigh the fact we have known each other for over a year." She'd been thinking about it and that alone made him hopeful.

"How long is long enough to know one another before we get married?" He was sincere in his asking, there was no hint of pressure.

"A year, if we're still this happy in a year then I'll marry you." She stroked the stubble along his jaw and kissed him softly. Theirs would always be a relationship of compromises and this one was something she could give him.

"So, does this mean we're engaged and that in 366 days we'll be getting married?" Now he was pushing, but just a little, he hadn't expected her to say yes, he thought he would get a lecture on the evils of the institution of marriage.

"Technically you haven't asked me yet, but if and when you do, I suppose you can call us engaged if that makes you happy. Personally I have other ideas for the word engaged that are far more entertaining, if only momentarily." She kissed him again, slipping her tongue along his lip and moaning from deep in her chest when he opened his mouth to her.

God, how he loved this woman.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The fire was crackling and popping from the damp wood he had added and they watched as though it were a show they were afraid to miss. Temperance had recreated their nest on the floor and they discussed the possibility of watching a movie but both were content to lie together and watch the fire. They had showered, rubbed lotion on their sun kissed skin and eaten dinner before relaxing with a glass of local red wine.

"Hey, let's go down to the dock, I want you to see the night sky, it's beautiful this time of year and we should be able to see the Big Dipper low on the horizon." She was already moving into a standing position and holding out her hand to him.

He smiled as he took it, "you know, I can do it myself." She broke into a grin and shook her head, warmed by this simple phrase that would always be a private joke between them.

They sat on the bench at the end of the dock and looked up into the sky; the display of stars was breathtaking.

"It's humbling to see the sky like this and realize what a small part of the universe we really are, just a flicker in time really." He was watching her as he spoke; she snuggled closer, warming herself against the night chill.

"It does give you some perspective to look out into the universe like this, suddenly all your problems seem manageable, maybe that's why my parents loved it here so much."

"I think you're right about that, this was probably one of the few places they felt they didn't have to keep looking over their shoulders, they could relax and just enjoy you and Russ." He spoke gently, never sure when she mentioned her parents how far she wanted the conversation to go.

"They did pay attention to us here, took us places, taught us things, just spent time with us. It was nice." She fell quiet, and he knew she was thinking back to some day in her memory, when they had been together and happy.

A falling star shot through the sky above them, blazing a distant trail of light and he heard her gasp.

"Temperance, when we get married, will you take my name?" He had been thinking about it since the afternoon boat ride, actually he had been thinking about a lot since then, but when he spoke it out loud it seemed to have come from no where.

"More about the marriage, really, you're worse that a teen aged girl." She was smiling and stalling, so many questions about their future. He quickly wrapped his arms around her and acted for one second like he was going to toss her into the dark water. She cried out in surprise, immediately fighting him.

"Seeley Booth I would come out of that lake and kick your ass." He had already settled back down and was holding her against him as she squirmed.

He was laughing, "okay, okay, I'm not going to do it and there is no doubt in my mind that you would, but don't call me a teenaged girl, that's damaging to a man's ego."

"Your ego can take it." She tucked her hand into the waistband of his jeans as she relaxed back against him. "Just remember, if I go in, you're going with me and at this time of night that water would make this afternoon feel like a warm bath." Her threat made him shudder with the memory of the cold dip he had taken earlier.

Several minutes passed, the silence comfortable between them as the night folded over them. It took him a second to follow her conversation; he didn't realize she was still thinking about the question he had posed to her. "I suppose I could, other than on my books, I'd still have to write under Temperance Brennan but I could use it as a legal pen name which is kind of ironic. I expect most people at work would continue to call me Dr. Brennan; I'm not sure how that would work. It doesn't matter though; legally I would be Temperance Booth. That sounds really strange to me, you might have to say it over the next year so I can get used to it." She was having second thoughts just talking about it and it was a year away.

"It makes you nervous, doesn't it?" Sometimes it was like he could hear what she was thinking. "You know it's normal to be nervous when you talk about getting married, even the surest of people get the jitters."

"Jitters, is that a medical condition of which I'm not aware?" He was chuckling, she was teasing and he was glad to see that her sense of humor remained intact. His hand found her breast, cupping it lightly he began to lazily circle it, the tips of his fingers like a whisper through her shirt. She lay quietly against him as her body responded to him.

His head dropped until his lips were softly kissing her ear, sending a chill through her, tightening her nipple which stood in anticipation of his fingers. He moved torturously around the peak, his tender touch agonizing as the ache within her gathered. "Hhmmm, Temperance Booth, Mrs. Temperance Booth, personally I like the sound of it, the way it rolls off my tongue." He slipped his tongue around the edge of her ear, sucking the lobe between his lips; she answered him with a low moan into the night. "Say it for me."

She arched into his hand trying to direct his touch to where she was desperate to feel it but he continued his tantalizing stroke.

"Say it for me Temperance." His warm breath moved over her cool skin and the fine hair on her neck rose causing her to pull her shoulders up, the accompanying moan became louder and deeper.

Her voice thick with desire, she tipped her head back, speaking more to the stars than to him, "Mrs. Seeley Booth." His fingers closed over her nipple, tightening until she gasped, her hips lurching into him. He tipped her face toward him and kissed her deeply, wanting somehow to taste not just her, but the moment.

When he released her, she moved away from him, "let's go back up to the house and I'll let you keep trying to convincing me of how natural it sounds."

"If I didn't know better I would swear that was just a ploy to get me to have sex with you when really all you had to do was ask." He was laughing, knowing he had busted her in the same way that she had him.

She placed a hand lightly between his legs, wanting to feel his reaction. "So Agent Booth, would you take the future Mrs. Booth back up to the house and fuck her deeper and harder than you ever have?" She paused for just a second, moving her mouth against his ear her voice was so low he almost didn't hear her, "please."

She felt him swell against her hand and then he was frozen for just a second before jumping up with such force they stumbled dangerously close to the edge before regaining balance. As he took her hand and moved quickly down the dock she smiled at the urgency with which he moved and how powerful those words were over him.

He was moving quickly but trying to be careful, his penis ached, she was making him crazy, driving him to some desire laden world of insanity. He wanted to say something back to her, be clever or romantic but only one of his heads was getting blood flow at the moment so all he could manage to do was move. He wanted to take the stairs two at a time but the tightness in his jeans and his grip on her hand made that impossibile, so he just moved steadily up them, her words still bouncing around in his head. As he reached the back of the lawn, moving under the star clad sky with intensely colored leaves swirling around his feet, he realized that he had never felt so alive and so sexually charged. He suppressed the strong urge to stop, throw her over his shoulder and run the last few yards knowing it would evoke cries of protest and a lecture about primitive barbaric responses to biological imperatives. He laughed as he reached the door, pausing to open it for her as though they had just come from a leisurely stroll.

She entered the house and walked directly to the bedroom, grabbing the crimson comforter off the bed in one tug and letting it pool to the floor. She walked over to him and quickly pulled his shirt over his head, they couldn't get undressed fast enough. He undid her pants and was pushing them down her hips as she unzipped him, they switched tasks, removing their own jeans, stripping without hesitation. When they were suddenly both naked he pulled her roughly to him, kissing her aggressively, and she answered him with equal urgency. His hand moved between her legs, sliding her lips apart and dipping into her slick depths, she groaned into his throat. He laid her back onto the bed, locking his gaze on the endless blue of her stare, slipping her leg up over his shoulder as the other one curled high around his waist; he entered her in one thrust. She cried out, not in pain, but with immense gratification at having him inside her, she clenched around him with all her might and heard him gasp as she relaxed and then seized her muscles once again.

He adjusted his footing, leaning his knee against the side of the bed, curling his hands around her sides and tucking his thumbs strategically above her hip bone. He thought about going slowly, about making love to her as his feelings for her washed over them but that wasn't what she had asked of him so he arched his back and released himself, full force, full speed. He didn't stop when she cried out his name, or when her first orgasm tore through her and she arched up into him. He kept on going, relentless, undaunted, riding an edge so high he thought his heart would burst in his chest. He felt her hands on his wrists, her nails sinking into his flesh, her body bowed up, her walls pulsing wildly around him and he let go. Cumming was like running off of a cliff, his entire body tensed and clenched as the heat poured out of him and he felt himself falling through space, his mind rushing, light bursting behind his closed eyes, her body throbbing around him. He stood there, pressed against her, every small move he made causing her body to twitch. She released his arms and he eased out of her, collapsing on the bed next to her, both of them still gasping for breath.

Temperance rolled onto her side, facing him, she placed her hand lightly on his heaving chest, "well you were certainly right, all I had to do was ask." She saw his grin just before closing her eyes. A few moments later she felt him kiss her cheek and she looked at him.

"Am I wearing you out?" He couldn't have looked more pleased with himself.

"No, I could still get up from this bed and beat you down the peninsula to the point. I'm not going to, but I could." She was smiling, knowing that unless the house caught on fire she would not be running down the street.

"There's my competitive Temperance, the woman I know and love." She was shaking her head. "Seriously, you really have opened up and you're a funny, entertaining, warm, amazing woman. You're so different from the woman I met that stood before me with her hands clenched into fists shoved deep in her lab coat pockets."

"Seeley, I can't promise you that the woman you describe won't reappear when we return to work, at least sometimes. I brought you here because at home I'm Temperance Brennan the author and at work I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan the forensic anthropologist, but here I'm just myself, before I lost my parents, before I became anything else. I can't promise you that we won't have problems; you know I didn't want to call anyone family because it just gives you someone to lose. I'm comfortable enough with you to be myself but it still scares me sometimes."

"It's okay to be scared, I think you underestimate how often other people are scared in their lives, it's really a very common occurrence. Pretty much I think if you're alive and living any kind of a real life, then you're also scared." He reached over and moved a strand of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear and smoothing her cheek.

"I just want us to make it Seeley; I don't want to be one of those couples that walk away in a couple of years."

"I think if we don't want to be then we won't, just being aware of it gives us a fighting chance."

"Do you think there are people that were happy their whole lives?" He looked at her and knew that for her to believe in happiness was like asking her to believe in ghosts, she just didn't think it existed, at least not long term.

"I do, I've seen people that are in their eighties and they will tell you they've been happy most of the time and that's all you can hope for isn't it? That you get to the end and still think it was one hell of a ride."

She was smiling at him now, "I guess so, I know it's starting off very well."

He pulled her to him, kissing her gently and she curled herself around him, content.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A year slid quickly by them and Temperance found herself thinking about the first weekend they had stayed here, when she first agreed to marry him. She peaked through the blinds from the bedroom where she was dressing, watching almost everyone she knew gather in the yard. The day could not be more beautiful, the sky stretched a brilliant blue and the autumn leaves hummed vibrantly all around the yard, stretching out around the lake. She was nervous and she drew a deep breath to calm herself.

He had formally asked her two weeks after they returned home last year, naked, in the middle of the night, too excited to wait for the next day, he lit a candle and sank to his knees next to the bed. Not a single fiber in her hesitated to tell him she would spend the rest of her life with him.

They bought each other rings, Temperance made him wear an engagement ring, claiming that they were both engaged, that they were promising themselves to each other, she was not just promising herself to him. They wore simple bands that would sit next to their wedding bands, she didn't want a diamond, it was too hard to get her gloves on and off all day at work and she wanted a ring she didn't have to remove. The engagement bands were both engraved inside, Quid Pro Quo and the wedding bands would have the dates engraved in them, they were simple and Temperance actually loved them. Despite all her objections when she was alone in her office at work it made her feel strangely more connected to him to look down at her ring. She would never admit it to anyone but she knew, for the rest of her life, she would never take it off.

She had the sudden urge to wander through the house and find him, knowing he was getting ready in the downstairs bedroom, but Angela had separated the two of them yesterday stating the old adage that they couldn't see each other the day before the ceremony. She turned to the bed and looked at her dress, realizing she was supposed to be getting ready. Just as she was about to slip into it there was a knock at the door.

Angela came in and quickly shut the door behind her, "Sweetie, why aren't you dressed, people are arriving and you need to be ready."

"It's not like they're going to start without me Ange." She was smiling good naturedly at her friend.

"Come on, lets get you into this dress and get this show in the road."

"Have you seen Seeley?" She wanted news of him as though he was in some far away place. It had been only a day and it wasn't even that they hadn't been apart for longer than that, it was just that right now she really wanted to see him, for a quick moment, a reassuring hug, just the feel and scent of him always made her feel so much better.

"He's fine, I just came from downstairs and I have to admit, he looks amazingly good today. Now let's get you dressed." Angela picked up the dress, the palest of blues against Temperance's summer tan was going to look stunning on her and the cut hugged her frame to her hips, showing every perfect curve of her body. As soon as she had pulled it over her head Angela smiled, the blue of the dress made Temperance's eyes light up in her face, with her auburn hair and glowing skin she was a reflection of their surroundings outside, all clear blue skies and fall colors. "I hate to admit it Bren but you were right about not wearing white, that dress looks beautiful on you."

"I'm a little nervous Ange." She blushed slightly at the compliment as well as her admission.

"Everyone is nervous on their wedding day. Let's see, do you have everything, something old, your moms dolphin is pinned in your hair, something new, your shoes, something borrowed, my necklace, something blue, your dress and a sixpence in your shoe. I already put that in there."

"Angela, that's just superstition and I am not walking on a coin all day."

"Yes you are, it's down by your toes, you'll hardly feel it in a minute and this is not just superstition, its tradition, think of it as an anthropological requirement for the society in which you live."

"Very funny, it's still a coin in my shoe."

"Temperance Brennan, you leave that coin there, it won't hurt you and it makes me feel better. Now turn around once so I can make sure you look okay." Temperance turned around once and stood before her. "You have never looked better, your hair came out great, I know you weren't all for wearing it up but it really works with the dress. I can always take it down for you at the reception dinner if you like." Just then there was a tap at the door and Angela stepped over to open it, not wanting Booth to sneak a visit this close to show time.

It was Zach, nervously twisting his fingers, "I was told to see if you're ready, the guests are seated and we're about to begin."

"We'll be there in a minute Zach, go ahead and have Booth get into position." She turned back to her friend, "Okay sweetie, this is it."

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"Come on g-man my only job today is to make sure you're standing at the edge of the guests so you two can walk toward one another and do this thing." Jack was smiling broadly at Booth, almost as excited as he was.

"I still can't believe she's going to marry me."

"To be honest, I didn't think she would either, she does have it all, brains, beauty and a killer body." Booth shot him a dirty look. "Hey man that didn't come out right, it's just that she has the whole package and was very clear that she'd never marry anyone, a woman like that is certainly in a position to call the shots in this life."

Seeley couldn't help but smile, he knew Jack was right, but Temperance had agreed and was indeed waiting at this moment to become his wife. He looked at the crowd as he took his position at the front corner of the group. When Temperance appeared the soft music would start and they would walk to one another meeting in front of the priest. Seeley had won the argument about the priest but the vows were completely rewritten by them to eliminate the god aspect and gear the ceremony toward a commitment between them, to one another. Once he took his position he realized everyone was looking at him, his mother winked when she caught his eye. He squared his shoulders, the tux was a little stiff but Temperance had picked it out and the fitted cut did look sharp. Seeley scanned the crowd; everyone he knew was there, his family and friends, everyone from the Jeffersonian, Parker and Russ, Temperance's friends here on the peninsula that Seeley had gotten to know quite well in the last year and her publicist, who they were trying to set up with Sid. His eyes scanned over the crowd once more and as he finally looked straight ahead his gaze fell on Temperance and she literally took his breath away. They locked eyes and smiled at one another and the rest of the crowd disappeared for them, they could see nothing but each other. The priest stood and the first strains of music filtered over the crowd. Temperance nodded slightly at him and they slowly walked to one another, when he reached her, he gently kissed her on each cheek, took her arm and turned to the priest for the ceremony to begin.

Angela was already crying but she noticed the crowd as a whole had become very still. There was just something about Temperance and Seeley, something so profoundly right about this union, that it felt as though they were all watching a very intimate moment. When they turned to face one another to say their vows even the most stoic amongst them was feeling the emotion and the truth in every word they said. Temperance had originally wanted the kiss to be left out but was now glad that she had left it in because when the priest said to Seeley, _you may now kiss the bride_, she had desperately wanted at that moment to do just that, and kiss him she did. The crowd cheered and the priest had to yell as they turned to the face the group, _I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Seeley Booth._

They walked arm in arm through the crowd and out. As soon as they were out of view he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, as though the passion was new, as though the fire had just started.

Pulling away, he looked at her, "you know you just made me the happiest man on earth."

"Well, after these guests leave I'll let you make me the happiest woman on earth." She was smiling brightly, a twinkle I her eye that he had come to know well.

"Mrs. Booth, how soon can we ditch this crowd?" He began kissing the smooth column of her neck.

"Well, there is the dinner and cake, pontoon rides on the lake, a toast and I don't know what else Angela slipped in there but I do know it's going to be a while."

His hand slid around her waist, stroking up the defined muscles of her back, his fingertips grazing over the ridges of her spine. He ducked his head further into the curve of her neck, his tongue snaking out and running between the stands of pearls around her throat. Her hand moved into his hair and a soft moan hummed from her lips.

"Hey you two, break it up and save that for later, right now you have to go be seated at the wedding table." Angela barged forward, "I can see we're going to have to keep tabs on you all night, don't think I don't know that you've had sex during almost every major social function we've had this year. There will be NO sneaking off, you can go like bunnies once the honeymoon starts, but that's not until after the events of this evening. Everybody clear?" The bride and groom were both blushing at the lecture and having been caught, because they both knew that they were about to sneak off to some corner of the house with a locking door.

"Okay, okay Ange, we'll come and sit down and we'll try to be good, I promise." Temperance was laughing because even as she was promising Seeley's hand was squeezing her ass through the back of her dress; this was going to be a very long day.

Dinner went well and there were toasts abound, it seemed almost everyone had something to say about the happy couple. Temperance was caught off guard when everyone began tapping their spoons against their glasses; Angela leaned over and whispered to her that every time the crowd did that she was required to kiss her new husband. Temperance thought she was crazy but the second she kissed Seeley the noise stopped. At first she was uncomfortable with the forced public display of affection but after her first glass of champagne she began to relax. After the cutting of the cake some of the guests left and they were down to those going out on the pontoon boats. The bride and groom were to ride in the first one that was decorated with streamer and a _Just Married_ sign. Temperance and Seeley were allowed to go change; Angela instructed them that their clothes were in the master bedroom. As soon as they were in the house she realized her mistake but decided to give them a few moments of alone time, while the group going out on the water rotated in and out of rooms, putting on warmer casual clothing.

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Seeley locked the door and leaned against it, grinning at her. "Alone at last."

"Don't think Angela won't be banging that door down in just a few moments." She had moved to the center of the room and he watched as she reached behind her and slid down the short zipper on the back of her dress.

"She can pound all she likes; I only get to watch my wife strip off her wedding dress once in my life." Temperance turned to face him, reaching up she slid the straps down her arms and let the dress pool at her feet. She carefully stepped out of it and her shoes, now wearing thigh high nylons and a white lace bra and panty set. She reached up and pulled the pins from her hair and with a shake of her head it cascaded to her shoulders.

He emitted a low wolf whistle in her direction and she walked over to him, placing her leg between his she slid it up against his thigh until she was pressing against his erection and rubbed herself gently against him. He closed his eyes and tilted his head against the door and felt her press her body full against him, her arms around his neck, her lips kissed his chin, sucked softly on his adams apple at the edge of his collar and then moved to the side of his neck and bit him. He groaned into the room, grabbing her hips and grinding her against him. He suddenly lifted her up and dropped her onto the bed. He was stripping out of his tux as fast as his hands could move.

"What happened to me being able to enjoy my husband stripping off his wedding tux?" She couldn't hold onto the laughter.

He was down to his boxers when he stretched out beside her. "I'll put it back on and take it off slowly tomorrow as many times as you like." He was grinning, his hands already moving over her body and the laughter on her lips settled into a sigh. His fingers danced over her, stroking the delicate flesh of her thighs, moving between her legs and pressing against the dampness as she pushed up against him. He pushed his arm beneath her and popped the clasp on her bra, suddenly he was everywhere. He leaned down and kissed her, his hand on her breast, his other hand in her pants, fingers sinking between the slick folds and into her. She arched up against him, moaning into his mouth, pulling him closer. She moved her hand into his shorts, wrapping her long fingers around the thickness of him, stroking her hand along the landscape of him that she knew so well. Her fingertips moved up over the ridges to the soft smooth spot on the inside of the head and she heard him gasp.

There was a rapid knock on the door, "Seeley, Temperance, are you almost ready?"

Seeley pulled back from Temperance and froze, watching the shock on his new wife's face. "Angela sent _my mother_ to get us? I swear I'm going to kill her." As they looked at one another they both started to laugh.

"We'll be right there mom, Temperance is taking forever." She was trying to be quiet but it was impossible, she smacked Seeley in the arm, the laughter escalating.

"Get off me traitor, I'm not taking too long. We might as well get dressed now, there's nothing like a mother to ruin the moment." She was gasping with laughter and they both scrambled to get dressed. Seeley watched, trying to maintain a pout as she peeled the nylons off and slipped into socks and jeans, but his chuckle kept returning. They pulled on their clothes, grabbing the sweatshirts that had been left on the bed for them. They were matching white sweatshirts, one that said groom and one that said bride.

"I'm going to kill Angela for this." He was still smiling.

"For sending your mother or making us wear these shirts?" Temperance was dressed and came over to kiss him before leaving the room.

"Both!" He kissed her gently, sighing heavily as they separated. Then he opened the door, almost running into his mother. "Hi mom, we're ready, have you seen Angela by any chance?"

"Yes, everyone is waiting for you down at the dock."

He took her hand and they headed across the yard, at top of the stairs they could see everyone gathered to go out on the boats, most of the family was in boat two while the wedding party and close friends were all in the wedding boat. Angela was hiding on the second boat.

As they reached the dock Seeley called out to her, "Angela, you're part of the wedding party, you're supposed to be up here with us. Come on now, I wouldn't want to take this ride without _you._" Temperance was laughing as Ange marched off the boat and faced him.

"It was Jack's idea and look how well it worked, you were down here in no time. Now just put any revenge thoughts right out of your head because if you think I'm going in that water today you have another thing coming, wedding day or not, I'll hurt you." He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead, immediately stopping her ramblings.

"Ange, I'm not going to do anything, at least not today, your day will come." He was smiling at her, a wicked look on his face.

"Okay why didn't that make me feel better? That was just creepy."

Laughing they all boarded, Seeley sat at the end of the bench seat and blushing slightly, Temperance sat between his legs and leaned back into him. It was just family and friends and it was their wedding day but in truth she needed no excuse, she just wanted to be near him. She looked out across the water, it was a perfect day, everyone they loved was here with them and everything had gone perfectly.

As she snuggled against his chest she felt his warm breath in her ear, "thank you."

She smiled against him, "for what?"

"For saying yes." She turned and kissed him, for the first time in her life she was completely happy, completely content and looking forward to the future.

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Last chapter, epilogue will also post today, so, press the little button and let me know what you thought.


	24. Epilogue

Disclaimer: They are not mine, but within this story I pretended they were…

Rating: T for sexual situations

A/N: Okay this is it and as with all lengthy works it makes me sad that it's over but frees my time to take Booth and Brennan on other journeys. I hope you all enjoyed it, reviews, comment and random thoughts are welcome and as always, thanks for reading.

Epilogue

Seeley straightened his tie and smoothed back his hair; he checked his pocket for the third time to see if the box was still there. It was their third wedding anniversary and he had purchased the diamond necklace the week before with Angela's help. He knew it would look beautiful against his wife's slender neck and he had an ulterior motive that was a surprise. His wife, he was amazed at how far their lives had come and how much he still loved her, sometimes it felt as though they had been on one long honeymoon. They had dinner reservations at Wong Foos and although they were getting dressed up the night was supposed to be low key, although he was sure Sid would have something fabulous ready for them. He was sure some of the gang was going to show up to surprise them but he was trying to act like he didn't know. Angela and Temperance had been whispering all week. He also knew she had bought him the Rolex he had spotted when they were on a case in Chicago a few months back, he had seen the box hidden in her drawer. It was an accident that he found out so he was going to try to act surprised and in truth he wasn't disappointed that there were no surprises this evening, life with Temperance had enough surprises on a regular basis to keep him satisfied. He gave him self one more look and went in search of his wife.

Temperance was putting her shoes on in the living room and he watched her for a moment, so unaware of her own beauty even now that she was always shocked when he told her how amazing she looked. She seemed distracted, lost in thought and he knew she was checking off lists in her head to make sure everything was handled. They had moved into this house a few months after they got married and although they both loved it, it was a bit of a drive into the city.

"We have to leave soon or we'll be late for our reservation." She looked up at him smiling.

"We have a reputation for being the late couple, since I met you I don't think I've been anywhere on time except our wedding and that was only because Angela kept us apart." He came over and kissed her, moving his lips slowly down her neck he felt the chills rise on her arms.

"As you know there is always one acceptable reason for being late. I don't know what it is, whenever you get dressed up to go out I just want to take your clothes off." He began nibbling along her collar bone.

"Which is precisely why we're always late." She gasped softly as his tongue traced her ear, in awe that he could still have this effect on her. She thought the attraction between them would fade but he could still touch her and within moments have the heat between them become all consuming.

She whispered _later_ into his ear and moved a step away from him and smiled, knowing they would be going to the front door and not the bedroom. "Are Jack and Angela meeting us for a drink?"

"Yes, the wedding is in 27 days and she can't stop talking about it. That's one of the reasons we have to go, you know they're going to be there on time, they always manage to be on time."

Seeley looked at her appreciatively, "hmmm, too bad for them."

She laughed and took his hand, "come on Seeley, we have to go." She had his gift already tucked in her purse and was a little nervous about giving it to him, hoping he wanted it as much as he had said he did.

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At the restaurant Seeley acted surprised when they entered and the rest of their friends were there. Zach and his girlfriend Kelly, Jack and Angela and Russ and Terri were all already seated. He was a little surprised to see Russ and Terri, since their wedding and the birth of their son they didn't get out much anymore. They also had the girls from her first marriage which gave them three to look after and between the soccer and dance lessons he wondered how Russ ever knew where he was heading. Dinner went well and the conversations of wedding plans, children, schedules and spouses left no room for talk of work. They had finished eating and were resting before desert when Seeley took out the box and handed it to Temperance. She opened it carefully and was momentarily taken aback by the beautiful necklace, laughing softly she removed it and handed it to him to put on her.

Angela looked questioningly at her friend, "why are you blushing over a diamond necklace?"

She shot a glance a Seeley and he answered for her. "Because I told my beautiful wife that I wanted her to sit for a painting and she refused and stated she would only sit for a painting if she was nude and dripping in diamonds, so I'm just trying to accommodate her."

"What a totally awesome idea." Jack's eyes were bright and the rest of the table sat in shock.

Russ finally spoke, "you all keep forgetting that she's my sister, could we change the subject to something that does not involve her being naked?"

She was bright red now, "Seeley you know I am not letting someone do a nude painting of me. No matter how many diamonds you buy."

Angela piped up, "Bren, I think I have an acceptable alternative for you but we'll have to talk about it later, and Jack, you can wipe that look right off your face because it's not going to happen." They were all laughing then and Temperance handed Seeley the box.

He tipped it in his hands, pretending not to know the obvious shape of the long slender box. As he went to tear the paper she moved her hands to her lap, not wanting him to see how nervous she was as he opened it. Angela had her camera poised and Seeley tried to prepare himself to look surprised. When he snapped open the lid he froze, his eyes wide, his mouth hanging open. The seconds ticked by and his brain reeled, trying to take in the full meaning of the gift. Everyone at the table was staring at him, at them. He stared at Temperance, tears welling in his eyes and she nodded at him and smiled. He leaned over and kissed her, pausing to wipe at the tears that were now moving down his face.

"Man I've bought some nice Rolexes but I've never had one move me to tears. Which model is it?" Jack was laughing until Seeley turned to box around and showed them. There was no watch in the box at all, just a white plastic strip from a pregnancy test with a plus sign on it. Everyone started cheering and talking at the same time. It was a joyous but confusing few moments. When the group finally settled he turned to her.

"I know you did this, but when did you decide?" He suddenly realized that she had to have been planning this for months. He had kept his word and never brought it up to her again so he wasn't aware she had been thinking about it. Every now and then he would see her with Parker or a child at a scene and she would get a certain look but he thought it was just wishful thinking on his part.

"I stopped the shots four months ago and decided if it was meant to be for us, then it would happen. I know I told you that if I ever changed my mind I would let you know but I didn't want to get your hopes up. I didn't even know if I could get pregnant, they told me it would be three months before the rest of the hormone was out of my system and then it could take up to a year, so I thought I had a little more time."

He kissed her again, pushing her back into the seat as her arms came around his neck.

"Okay you two, that's how this all got started, now break it up before we get kicked out of here." Russ was laughing as he spoke, "beside I want you to get up so I can hug my sister and tell her congratulations properly. I'm going to be an uncle." They stood and exchanged hugs before settling back down and ordering desert.

Seeley looked over at his wife, beaming with excitement. "That touch of flu you had on and off a few weeks ago suddenly makes sense, and you haven't been drinking but I thought it was due to the flu and it just didn't sit well with your stomach. I can't believe it, we're going to have a baby. When are we due?"

"April, I think it will be the second week of April. I waited to go for the ultra sound until after you knew so you could go with me for the first one. We have an appointment Monday at one."

"I wouldn't miss it for anything in the world." He started to laugh then, recalling his earlier thoughts on how there would be no surprises this evening and how completely wrong he had been.

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Jordan Elizabeth Booth was born on April 9th, just as her mother had predicted. She would be told all her life that she was the spitting image of her mother, a compliment that she would grow to both love and hate to hear. She was joined eighteen months later by her brother Alexander and two years after that by her sister Hannah. It was a busy household but it was filled with love.

It was a few weeks after Hannah was born that Temperance was sitting in the rocker with her daughter at her breast thinking about her life. She loved these quiet moments with them when they were new and still breast feeding. Alex was down for his nap and she could hear Seeley talking to Jordan in the kitchen over a sandwich because Jordan had decided she was now too old to take a nap. In the distance there were cartoons playing, she could smell the morning coffee, lingering faintly in the air, baby powder and Hannah's new baby scent and a trace of Seeley from when he had come in to kiss her when she sat to feed the baby. In that moment it hit her, somewhere along the way, she had found her way home.

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And they all lived happily ever after.

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That's all folks, thank you to all those who stayed with me during this rather lengthy story and a special thank you to all those who took those few moments to review, they are fuel on which most writers run. I appreciate your time and hope it was well spent for the entertainment. Final comments are welcome and appreciated, as you know, press the button…


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